Full text of "Computer Gaming World Issue 179"

See other formats

JUNE 1999

MAX PAYNE, heavy METAL: P.A.K.K. , psyCHq CIRCUS

+ 501 CHEATS

SNEAKg! ULTIMA ASCENSION • KNIGHT 3

DIPLO MAfi V

You want Power? Wrest it from the stiff, dead hands
of those vuho held it before. Seize it without I

mercy. And use it without conscience. ^

en(juisite enuironments. Wiiite-hot mystic
combat. Unique multi-|dayer dynamics. And
ov/er 50 artifacts of incoticeiuable (jower
there for the taking.

A new day is dovunin^. Seize it.

TIhe Kingdom. TThe Pouicr. TIhe QfoRg.

vu w w . lu h e c I o f t i III c . c o iii

IJILTCEND'

BaSKU on ■I'llK II KXT-S U 1,1.1 N Q
fAN'i'Asr seiiiBs iir ll o uc ht J u 11 da n

tiigcnd laijcnre iinilumarkn ot UiquiI'

j Gunboys po,/f .

' florclure^^^^^

jVjurner to
^t\e5 to escape.

Don't deplete your afterburners
cruising around. You'll need
them when someone locks on a
homer, or when you're trying
to catch that guy in front of
you. Keep it at 50% or more for
that burst when you REALLY
need it.

'9 Red receives ®
the world ^

^en burns, Bar
^^apalni' the^

MtiUiphtvor Tip #2
Use napalm to herd players into
traps. Players have a tendency to
back off from napalm bursts (with
good reason). Merd them into a
wall or corner and launch a frag
missile into the wall next to them.
The result is quick death for your
opponent.

ACTUAL AUTOMAP - POLARIS

Additional
Prize sponsors
Include:

DESCEIMT^

$5a,aaa championship

Back in 1995, DKSCKNTSETTlIESTANDAUn I'fJH MIl/l'IPI.AYKH GAMING. iT WAS THE FIHST GAME OF IT’S KINH TO ALLOW MORF,
THAN 4 TLAYEBS TO BATTLE ONLINE IN 3D DKATIIMATCIIES. CONTINUING 'I'llE TR.AOi'l'lON, DE.SCEN'1' 3 S MUl/lIPI.A^ EH
ACTION TAKES THE EXPERIENCE TO A NEW I.I'A'i;!,. KOII THE I.AUNCll OF DESCENT 3, WE ARE LOOKINIJ FOR THE WORLD S BES T

Descent pilot. With a grand prize of .^so.ooo cash and The Ultimate CU\.\iinc; PC fro.m Cateway...

DD Yqu Think You Have What It Takes?

For -MORE DLTAlUiOINTORMA'nDNAND'lDRl'XILS'rai

VISIT WWW.INTEHPLAY.CaM/DESCENT3/rTaUR.HTML

the ail-in-®^

unleashes

Use Vauss as much as po.ssible in outdoor battles so you can
keep a good distance from your opponent. Use Napalm indoors
whenever possible and use super lasers against opponents in
small tunnels since the lasers are liarder to avoid.

so WHAT IF YaU
KILL YaUR FRIENDS

WITH $5D,aaa,

YOU BAN BUY SOME NEW DNES.

Descem 3: ® 1998 Oubw bitmainneM. kc. M 1^ retervetf. Outrage, die Oulrate loga and
Fustou ve trademarks ot Outrage finter la kneirt, Inc. Oetcem, totenkSK the kiterglay loeo,
iMtrum, the Tanirun logn, "By Gamers. For Gaam." are trtdamarkt el Intenitay Productions.

To FIND ou r HOW YOU CAN WIN DESCEND NOW H)

w>v\v.interpIay.com/clescent3/ftoiir.hliiil

U oUwr copyrlgtits aod Ir a des ia r ts are the property el their respecUve oi

Go to #067 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

Sim of the Year” Allgames Network

“Gates may have more money than God,
but g.o.d. has a much better flight sim.”
Adrenaline Vault

Raytheon Aircraft Piper^

FLY! is a trademark of Terminal Reality. Terminal Reality Is a trademark of Terminal Reality Inc,

Gathering ol Developers and godgames are trademarks of Gathering of Developers, Inc. All other
trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners. ©1998 Gathering of Developers, Inc.

ww.terminalreality.com ww.gorigames.com

Go to #125 @ www.computergaming.com/lnfolink

' ;

^^E|H

Huniiiiiiiiiim

"iHIMIKllTlTlIlMn

Jin

lililiVLIIii.1lilJililililllilli

IlirliMiiliJ

s'ftiiiiiiniiiitiH.

1 IIHHIlilllllliltilil

1 IrllllJlilHlIli

Tiiirmiiti

■iiiikHiiiiiiiiHiifiiihii’iin

Hilf-'ilKiiilllilllnl

Finally, a starship naval combat game

worthy of the name

Star Trek

f\ Using data from the best-selling
V strategy board game, Star Fleet
Battles; Starfleet Command puts
you In the captain's chair for
the most amazing real-time
space combat experience
ever created.

Dozens of multi-
functional
display panels offer
instant access to
every critical sys-
tem. Weapons,
Shields, Sensors,
Transporters,
Marines, Mines,
Engineering,
Science, and Energ>'
Management.

Every good tactician knows
there's a fine balance between
speed and raw power. Choose from
four classes of ships and over 50 3-D
rendered hull designs.

STAR TREK®: Slartieet Command™ Soltware S1999 Interplay Productions. All Riglits Reserved. ™, ® 5 © 1999 Paiamou
Pictures. All Rishls Reserved. Portions ©1979-1999 Amarillo Design Bureau. All Rlgtils Reserved. Portions ® QuicKsjIv
Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Some elements based upon the board games created by Amarillo Design Bureau Star Trek
a registered trademark ol Paramount Pictures and Starfleet Command and related marks ate Itadcmaiks of Paramount Picture
All fligtiis Reserved. Interplay, the Interplay logo. ‘By Garnets. For Gamers.', 14' East and the 14’ East logo are trademarks
Interplay Producllans. Quicksilver Soltware and the Quicksilver Software logo are trademarks ot Quicksilver Software. Inc. Exclusive
' '’d by Inletplay Productions. All other trademarks and copyrights ate the property ol their respective owners.

I'utlurntioii
Ucnvy Criiisor (I••CA)

I’hotoii Tor|)utl(ius
2 Phnscr Is
2 Tractors
3 Traiisportur
Size CI.1S5; 3

vy Cruiser - Variant : 2
te intraduced into sei\ii3e: 8722.4

Command over 50 unique campaign mis-
sions generated by the Dynaverse
engine, or reenact classic scenarios
from the original series.

www.interplay.com/sfc
Go to #165 @ www.computergaming.com/lnfollnk

KUngon Commniiii
Cruiser (K-n7C)

Pledge alle-
giance in the
Klingon Empire, the
United Federation of
Planets, the Romulan
Star Empire, the Hydran
Kingdoms, or the Lyran
Star Empire.

Multiple tutorials and tech-
nicals will introduce the con-
trols necessary for you to take
command.

J Numerous multi-player options
include 'Pass the Tribble’ and coopera-
tive Starbase Assault with up
to 6 players. Or go head-to-head via
modem or serial cable.

<Z s

! 2 < s

Sz i

§0 I

Si - s
, cc “
Jjuj 5

- J >- 2
<[=“

3 °

2e“

iu_l "

s < s

<2 s

I 3 fe I

o> i

luri o

inH u.

<55 °
2

Isi

2< g

£ii

0.0

z “

SS .
obS
< 9 -'

S.iu

QgO

Z^LU

< 0-1

log

ZOS ^

os<

r *«» ^

> < %

S S:

gc 5 UJ Uj
O U4 ^ fC

*'■ »i Uj Jt

p in </>

JUNE 1999 • Issue 179

COMPUTER

CAMIMC

WORLD

I f you type a special code
into STARCRAFT, it will
give you access to the
pre-release copy of ORC
SQUAD LEADER 3000, but the
code won't work until
January of 2001... okay,
enough of that tired joke.
We've scoured and struggled
with our favorite games for
hundreds of hours {only
for research purposes, of
course) to give you the
best in codes, cheats, and
hacks. Use them, enjoy
them, live them. And if
you aren't disciplined
enough to back up your
data before trying these
cheats, don't blame us.

ALL OF G.O.D.’S CREATIONS

WE'VE GOT YOU COVEOEO

celebrates

covers. One for our
newstand buyers and a
special collector's edition
for our subcribers. If you
want to subcribe to CBW

call 800-027-4450

T he Gathering of Developers,
with titles like Max Payne,
HEAVY METAL F.A.K.K.^,
and KISS: PSYCHO CIRCUS in devel-
opment, can hardly be called choir
boys. Who are these guys, and why
do they think they're out to save
gaming?

PREVIEWS

Ultima Ascension

We accepted Lord British's offer to see the latest
changes Origin had made to the controversial final
chapter of its role-playing epic. Check out Editor-in-Chief
George Jones' in-depth, hands-on update 60

Gabriei Knight 3

We've always claimed that Johnny Wilson has both
BLOOD OF THE SACRED and BLOOD Of THE DAMNED, so
who would be more appropriate to dissect Jane Jensen's
latest take on the supernatural? 62

Warhammer 40,000: Rites of War

Look out! Warhammer mseXi PANZER GENERAL,
and strategy/war gaming will likely never be the
same again 65

Dipiomacy

For more than 40 years, the fine art of deal-making and
back-stabbing has been refined over worlds comprised
of paper maps and online sites like CompuServe. Can
Hasbro's new DIPLOMACY deliver on the PC? 68

High Heat Basebaii

Can Team .366. recapture the magic of leader Trip
Hawkins' original Earl Weaver? 77

Seven Kingdoms II

In this latest update, we find that the deepest of
real-time strategy games gets even deeper — and
surprise!— it's prettier as well 81

The Operational Art of War II

Bigger, with a tougher A! and even more ways to

realistically blow up the world. What more

could a serious wargamer ask for? 83

46 REAP.IVIE

• Up close and personal with Dr. Ray Muzyka,
the man behind BALDUR’S GATE.

• Wit, wisdom, and ennui from the
Computer Game Deveioper’s Conference

• The hot games we’re looking forward to at E3.

GAMER’S EDGE

l!M:l.V.7:TiT^

Hardware News 121

• Firewire's uncertain future
•3D Ironworks: TNT2 Comes

Out Swinging

Loyd Case

Learning to Follow
My Own Advice 124

Killer Rigs 128

KDS VSF1 5 Flat-Panel
Display 131

Macintosh G3 132

Titan Sphere

Game Controller 133

ViewSonic PT795
Monitor 135

Pioneer 6x DVD Drive...,137

Army Men 2 143

Resident Evil 2 145

South Park 147

Turok 2 149

Extreme G2 151

Roll Cage 151

Wages of SiN 151

SimCity 3000

Myth II

Our guide to urban planning
will keep you on budget and

Tricks, tips, and detailed battle plans
to bring out the most dastardly
effects of your favorite wraiths and
zombies

Close Combat III:
The Russian Front

Stuck on the Volga with nowhere to
go? Don't end up like Paulus' Sixth

CG Tips is on vacation due to our comprehensive 501 Cheats feature. Look for CG Tips to return next month.

DEPARTMENTS

Johnny Wlison In Memorianr. Ailen "Doc" Greenberg 21

Denny Atkin Buy a life on the Web 26

CGW Online What to check out on OameSpot 29

On the CG-ROM Demos, tools, and goodies on CD 31

Letters Email missives and submissives 32

Reviews Introduction 139

Greenspeak It's not all fun and games 202

SIMULATtONS/SPACE

Starsiege 156

NASCAR Revolution 162

EA Superbike 165

STHATEGY/WARGAMES

Heroes of

Might & Magic III 170

Imperialism II 173

North vs. South 176

Imperialism II 173

North vs. South 176

BATTLES IN HOSTILE SCI-FI CONDITIONS -
FROM OUTER SPACE TO SWAMP ZONES.

COMBAT ACTION WITH ACTIVISION’S
ALL-NEW DARK SIDE ENGINE.

SPECIAL OPS STEALTH-SQUAD COMBAT IN
40 INDOOR/OUTDOOR MISSIONS.

PRITTIED ahacks on intelligent enemy forces
nnil IIEIl that adapt to YOUR tactics.

IIKEI
h I H E si

... A siire-te recipe foi

that no sane playei

“...we could be looking
something amazing..

on a

global scale. It’s melodrama, it’s
excitement, it works.”

-Computer Gaming World

M assive armies clash. Forests and cities burn. Tremendous magical forces
level castles in the blink of an eye. In these epic crusades, four immortal
monarchs are locked in a campaign to control the once splendid land of
Darien. Build your armies, hone your magic skills and gather your resources to
wage war on an epic field of battle. Your power to either rule or destroy lies herein.

Features

• Four unique sides, each with their own bnild-hierarchies and strategies.

• Command vast armies of skeletal archers, undead footsoldiers, magic-casting wizards and airborne dragons.

• Lay siege to massive castles and cities.

• Full 3D environments filled with rolling hills, high bluffs and thick forests.

• 3D card support delivers stunning graphics and special effects.

• Multiplayer capabilities over LAN and the Internet.

• Play FREE on Cavedog Entertainment’s Boneyards™ — a new type of gaming community.

Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Ifl
is completely unbelievable.” iB

Eigfv -Imagine Games Network

boneyards

www.cavedog.com

chaos and mayhem
ifoiid want to miss.”

-Computer Games Strategy Plus

01 999 Humongous Enterlalnmont, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Total Annilhilaiian, Total Acinihllslion: Kingdoms and Baneyaids ate uademarks of Humongous EnlattainiTtont. Inc. Cavetlog Entertainment and the Cavedog Entertainment logo ate tegistned
tiademarks of Humongous Entertainment. Inc. Created and published by Cavedog Entettalnment. a division of Hittnongoiis Entertainment, Inc.

Go to #172 @ www.computergaming.com/lnfollnk

“... fit to sit on the
throne of RTS gaming.”

yGamcr’s Republic

FROM THE CREATORS OF THE COMMAND

“An RUlR^in^, captivating environment.”

- Gamer’s Republic

“An RPG with generous doses of adventure,

action and technology.”

- CINet Gamecenter

• •

“Lands of Lore III presents truly inffCniOllS
solutions to several issues that have ^agued
computerised RPGs for years.”

^ - Games.net

“Stunning

graphics and interface.”

- Gamepoweccom

“Lands of Lore III is the best RPG
experience the pc has to offer.”

- PC Player

Go To War! at
www.eidosinteractive.co

'OOT AND EXTORT YOUR WAY
i to infamy in tKe s^edy world of the 17th
century Caribbean. Strike terror in the hearts
of your victims: board ships, ransom' Postages
and sack towns. The only rules are the ones
you make. Cutthroats: Terror on the High Seas makes
you the captain of a ship bristling with cannons. Seek a
Letter of Marquee and fight for King and country as a
privateer, or become a ruthless pirate. Either way, remember
to ply your crew with rum and treasure or face a mutiny.
Will you survive to retire a Pirate Kiiig?’ Or will you
dance the hempen jig on Gallows Rock? • ' '

^ Customize your fleet of up to 12 ships with cannon
and crew to devastate enemy ships. For land battles.

arm your men with muskets, cannons and cutlasses to
raid ports. '

* Sophisticated real-time strategy engine enables complex
amphibious assaults; bombard fortresses with your
ship's cannons, while your men pillage the town.

From the company that brought you

COMMANDOS "" and Gangsters™

Kill enemy crews with cannons, then board
your prize and take your spoils.

Landing parties can capture ports or burn Over 70 ports in 6 million miles of gameplay

them to the ground. area to exploit.

PlUAGE. PEUNDER

Raid,

Cervorvn the High Se^s

WANT TO TEST YOUR METAL?

How Would Your Command Decisions Affect the Greatest Battles
of the Last Half of the 20th Century?

Nei

EDITORS'

CHOICE

■A-Aik-Aik

Call (410) 933-9191 or visit our web site at

www.talonsoft.com

MODERN BATTLES
1956-2000

Go to #242 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

The Real Half-Life

InMemoriam — Allen "Doc" Greenberg

I just threw away my editorial,
my pompous words about
the future of online gaming
and how we stand on the
brink of the next wave of
multiplayer gaming. It's a
good editorial and it needs
to be published, but it just
doesn't hold up against the story I
must write. This is the story of a
real deathmatch, the story of a
man who died too soon. He was a
friend, a colleague, a fellow editor,
a father, and a gamer, in chrono-
logical years, this CGIV editor lived
only about half of a life's expected
duration. In important matters, his
mark is longer.

He should have died under mys-
terious circumstances, like a hero in
one of those adventure games he
loved to play. He should have left
behind a trail of puzzles, like the
ones in the classics he continually
challenged. He should have died
with a wicked smile on his face as
he shocked us with his Gilbert
Gottfried impression of a cantan-
kerous East Coast nerd. He should
have left us peacefully with a gen-
tie smiie on his face as he nodded
approvingly at the son and daugh-
ter of whom he was so proud.

Instead, he died after living large.
He died as the kind of mensch he
admired in those short stories and
novelettes by his favorite author,
Harlan Ellison. He was a virtim of
his own rare blood-type and his
inability to recuperate fully after a
series of organ transplants. He
fought on to the end, hoping to
make some sense of the suffering
through which he was struggling.

And all the way through the
period of savage nights and days of
physical weakness, he played
games. Even while the medication
and physical weakness played
games with his head, he kept on
writing. He no longer tortured his
editor-in-chief with lead paragraphs
so bizarre and strange that it was

www.compuferBaming.com

unclear whether we had a genius
with a strange sense of humor or a
demented schizophrenic on our
staff. His contributions started to
get smaller and less regular, but he
kept playing and he kept writing
right up until the end.

This is a story about heroism.
Please indulge me. I first came in
contact with Alien Greenberg (or

"Doc," as he was known to us)
after he started writing for The
Electronic Gamer, one of the origi-
nal e-zines on CompuServe. I con-
tacted him about writing for
Computer Gaming World, and he
jumped at the chance to review
computer games for us, He soon
proved his mettle at writing about
adventure games and puzzle
games. Doc was enthusiastic and
always gave us a laugh or two as
we edited his material. He wrote
for both the print magazine and
the first online publication,
our long-time publication on the
Prodigy service. So, when there
came a time that we needed an
editor for our Prodigy publication,
we decided to hire him.

Even then, though, Doc was
worried. You see, the guys told him
that i always ask prospective
employees about the books they
have read, their favorite authors,
and the magazines that they read

regularly. Allen's favorite author
happened to be the great author of
speculative fiction. Harlan Ellison,
and he not only knew that Harlan
and I had once colored the atmos-
pheres of our respective offices in
blue storm clouds of unrestrained
verbiage, but he was also aware
that Harlan had taken some pot-
shots at me on the Science Fiction
Channel. {Yes, I'm the editor of the
so-called Video Wahoo Magazine
about which Harlan railed in a cou-
ple of interviews.) When i asked
the question. Doc trembled all over
and exhaled quickly. "God help me,
it's Harlan Ellison." I laughed the
hardest I ever have in a job inter-
view. I happen to admire Harlan, as
well. I told Doc that this was
grounds for hiring.

Yet, there was a problem. Doc
had been diagnosed with diabetes
and had left his lucrative dental
practice to work in a clinic. His
skills had declined because his
vision was getting worse and his
partners no longer wanted him. He
was able to help quite a few peo-
ple in the clinic, but he knew that
he wouldn't last for long. Com-
puter Gaming Wor/rf became his
new reason for living. He moved to
California and had a great couple
of years before the disease began
to have an impact on his work.

Even though he was weak, he
continued to edit our Prodigy pub-
lication until its demise. Doc was
our first telecommuting editor dur-
ing that period, and his work kept
him going for a long time. Yet, his
life was now a series of dialysis
treatments and his trips into the
office became more and more diffi-
cult. The adventure game puzzles
that he once solved with ease

came painfully slower and slower
to him as he waited for more than
two years for the much-needed
organ match. In the course of get-
ting to the office, he would often
fall on the streets of San Francisco,
pick himself up, and keep on going
(if no one called for an ambu-
lance — an occurrence that hap-
pened more than once). He never
gave up. Finally, the transplant
took place. Finally, it looked like
Allen's nightmare was over.

He returned to us with clear
mind and new focus on work. He

He died as the kind of mensch he admired in
those short stories by Harlan Ellison.

was still weak, but his writing
kept getting better and he was
making the comeback for which
we'd been praying.

Then, his body rebelled. He
experienced a severe relapse. He
left us suddenly. No more cynical
shouts startling us in the office.

No more incredible joy as he
solved the latest puzzle. No more
dry wit Doc completed his adven-
ture. He solved the last puzzle.

His cubicle in the office doesn't
look like the violence-torn setting
for some angry Harlan Ellison
story. It doesn't look like the old
sanitarium in THE BLACKSTONE
CHRONICLES. But it looks pretty
creepy without my friend and col-
league. I wanted to see him win
the transplant game. I wanted to
see him get the best ending pos-
sible. I hope, for his sake, he did.
Allen "Doc" Greenberg died in
March of 1 999. Shalom, Allen,
Shalom. S33

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUhTE 1999

www.tribesplayers.com

PC GAMER

rSTAiisJEOi

...more oriyinol and refreshinQ
[han anijihiny I've seen in years

@ OO PO00t?<^(?(l©0GKJ

achon masterpiece.

NEXT GEN ONLINE -

☆ ☆☆☆☆

- NEXT GENERATION -A

ynamix reclaims its
game developers

Tire bestNMI simulation yet

94 %

lebestWWi
air combat
simulation
on the street.

-PCM&E-

- DENNY ATKIN. G AMESPOT • ; ^ .

www.redbaron3d.com

www.starsiegeplayers.com

...onoiiier yemfrom
Dpmix... Fast ond fun
mifi] dazzling 3D landscapes.

- GAMEPOWER -

^ ^ ’Imggod.'iuhaHsaui

mas brealMahing.''

-THE VOODOO REVIEW-

f i Cleaflgfliefronffunner

r* . in Itie coming indusffi]-

position as one or the tinest uiidumeciiBr-

-CORA FLIGHT NEWS-

100 billion operations a second, allowing us to render

Our 3D graphics accelerator performs over
something like a mangled fibula with the utmost realism. (If it looks like oatmeaUhen that's the way
it's gonna look.) Our chip is compatible with a gazillion games and software applicafons, so why not i
upgrade your computer with a 3dfx VoodooS't board, or make sure it's built into your next one.

For more information, check out our website atwww,3dfx.com. So powerful, it’s kind of ridiculous.

' 1

Spending Big Bucks — Reai Ones — for Hot UL TIMA ONLINE Real Estate

A n odd phenomenon
struck online auction
house eBay (www.
ebay.com) this past
March: People began
selling virtual castles
and imaginary charac-
ters. eBay has always
had an amazing selection of items,
from cheesy collectibles to used
Ferraris. It can be an addictive
online experience (this editor has
spent an embarrassing amount of
time and money on eBay filling out
the Green Lantern comics collec-
tion he could never afford as a
kid), so it's only appropriate that it
would become a venue for traffick-
ing in ULTIMA ONLINE accounts.

It all started when eBay user
Turbohawk (in real life, Steve, a 30-
year-old firefighter) decided to sell
his copy of ULTIMA ONLINE, com-
plete with five characters and over
half a million gold pieces. The
account ended up selling for a
whopping S521 . Word got around,
and within a week there were over
80 accounts for sale, many with
bids over $500. At press time, one
account had sold for $2,050, while
another had reached $3,000 after
57 bids — and with six days to go
until auction close!

The questions are obvious; Why
would someone sell an account
they'd spent thousands of hours
developing? More important, what
is it about this gaming experience
that could cause dozens of players
to drop hundreds — or even thou-
sands — of dollars on a powerful
account? To find out, I interviewed
a number of UO veterans who were
selling their accounts as well as
wannabe castle lords who had bid
$250 or more for these accounts.

Unreal Estate

For many, the appeal of buying
UO accounts is one of solving a
problem that Californians will
empathize with; lack of real estate.

Shadow (in real life Richard, a 39-
year-old controls design engineer)
explains: "What it does for you is
allow you access to items that
might take you a very long time to
acquire on your own much sooner
than it normally would. Real estate
in UO is pretty much set now. There
are very few places that you can
actually place a small house, let

alone something huge. Therefore
the only way to obtain such a
place is to buy it in a game,
through various Web sites or
through eBay."

Others are looking for characters.
They find it tedious to perform the
activities necessary to build strong
enough characters and they see
buying an account as a way around
this. When asked whether taking
over another person's character
spoils the role-playing aspect of
UO, Scott, 28, a systems administra-
tor, explains, "I have my own char-
acter that I developed and spend
most of my time playing. I was
looking for support characters for
that character. UO doesn't allow for
good role playing because you
have to spend way too much time
doing mundane things to gain the
wealth required for you to do any
kind of adventuring."

Believe it or not, even romance
can be a factor. "Well, my fiance

will be traveling a lot soon, and we
thought it would be neat if he
could play with me while he was
away. I decided to first bid on one
as a birthday present for him,"
says Jocelyn, 20, a college student
in Dallas. In addition, buying an
already powerful character for him
means she'll be able to more safely
build her own character's abilities.

Selling Out

So why sell an account? Reasons
vary. Not enough time to play, frus-
tration with game lag, and moving
on to other games are some of the
typical rationales. Harlan, a 22-year
old college student sold his and his
fiancee's accounts so they could
move on to EVERQUEST. "My
fiancee and I are selling our

accounts as a group deal," Harlan
says, adding, "We have kept our
long-distance relationship alive via
role playing on UO."

While many account buyers
have been primarily interested in
property, Harlan and his fiancee
hope to see their characters live
on. "So far the emphasis has been
on how much gold and what
equipment are available," Harlan
reports. "Our sale is more about
the mood we have created with
our house and characters. Yes, our
characters are good, but more than
that, they have a history and a
legacy. They are known in their
shard as lovers and travelers. We
are selling the characters' reputa-
tions as well as their statistics."

Sometimes, selling the account
is a way to gain both money and
time to spend in real life. Brian, 21,
a student and part-time Best Buy
computer technician, had put
about 2,000 hours into ULTIMA

ONLINE between August and
March. "Many days I would put in
1 5-plus hours just killing stuff,
making stuff, etcetera. 1 found
myself many times up to 6 a.m. or
all night and not even knowing it."

Brian saw the eBay trend start-
ing and decided it would be a
perfect opportunity for a self-inter-
vention. "Since my time playing
UO I have seen my grades go from
As to Cs, to the point where I did
not want to do anything but play
UO. 1 found myself laying in bed at
night thinking about what I could
be doing on UO right now. This
continued during school, work,
driving, everything. Even dates I
would cut short to get home to
play UO. I got a cable modem just
for UO. I saw this getting out of

hand, so I had to cut my addiction
off. I have since then started play-
ing more quick games like
STARSEIGE; TRIBES and others."

UO publisher Origin is cool about
this whole trend; in fact, the com-
pany is planning to modify its user
agreement to make such sales
"legal" in the game license.

"We know items are sold and
traded, but we did not think char-
acters would hold such a high mon-
etary value," says Origin's David
Swofford. "The in-game economy
in ULTIMA ONLINE has always been
healthy and dynamic. It's only nat-
ural that eventually it would be
mirrored in the real world like this."

With thousands of dollars
changing hands weekly on eBay
for virtual castles and characters,
it's not hard to picture a near
future in which companies join in
and sell the games cheap but offer
weapons, potions, and keeps as
extra-cost options.

it's only appropriate that eBay would become a
venue for trafficking in ULTIMA ONLINE accounts.

rnMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999

www.computcrgaming.iom

0-60 (off a skyscraper)? Yes.

Racers, start your mayhem. Grab hold of one of 10 wild vehicles and race through the
windy streets of Chicago, where you'll have to deal with tough opponents, alleyways,
drawbridges, newspoper racks, tunnels, and the police. Throw in five race modes and
over 50 city landmarks, and there are plenty of sights to see. Just don't drive like a tourist.

See more action at

www.mierosoff.com/games/midtown

Gam/ng

"^1

|C>I999 Microsoft Coipofolioo. All rosc'ivod, Miriosolt ii a regislarod trademark of
Microsoft Cotpofoliciri. Volkswagen, the Volkswagen logo, and Baotio arc copyright
si 1 999 Volkswagen of America, Ire. Trademarks, design pcitonis and copyrights arc used
with the opprovol of ihu owiiar.

Microsoft

Hasn't Iraq made a mockery

OF us LONG ENOUGH?

Finish it. Once and for ah.

Er^ironmenti
A Audio" j

by CREATIVE* . J

' ei9«^el
'aM.’ojsetvll

I RlUniS RtMivM GiiU
70 Company m mt usl

iDeseit Hammor.
nUiK.AIIolhsrb

S0aaago0 ffl

ON THE WEB

What's New At GameSpot

Plug In for the Latest News, Reviews, Demos, and Strategies

F or the best in gaming, turn to the experts at GameSpot. You'll find a wealth of news, reviews,
and previews as well as cool demos and hard-core strategies for all the hottest games. You'll
also find excellent technical advice and game-based hardware reviews from technical guru Loyd
Case. Don't waste time or hard-earned cash — when you need accurate information, read what the
pros have to say at wvvw.gamespot.com. Here's a little of what we have in store for you.

GOQOOG^

> It I F E

ileroes III Gunic Guide

Ilcroos 11! bas
eight lOVDS lb

I'laX, .&

oumerous

crealurcs lo Igk,,. iN"
eonimand, ^ • 'f.A'}

..M .nor. o -t r?; ! S

Iban 50 spells ^ 1 ,

With a game " '■ -iv'”

?ou're bounil to Deed some help.
This just in: WW B to ntMPrMO

Reviews and Previews

For the latest and most timely reviews, check out GameSpot, where
we review games every day. Every week, we also showcase expanded
previews of the hottest games. You can find huge, in-depth previews of
Shogun, Total Annihilation; Kingdoms, Might and Magic VII, Command and
Conquer II, and many more.

Features

If it's behind-the scenes stories of game development that you want,
visit the features section on GameSpot

Wing Commander

The movie is probably already on video, but you can hear how Chris
Roberts justified this "experiment" and read a retrospective of the
entire Wing Commander series.

SIMply Divine

We get the inside story on the rise, fall, and rise again of Maxis
Software. Found out how an idea about city planning became one of
the best-selling games of all time. Then, learn what Maxis has planned
for the future.

B e sure to make GameGuides.com your one*stop shop for
strategy guides. Just enter vvww.gameguides.com to
read the best game guides, written by our resident
gaming experts. We've got the best strategies, hints, tips, and
walk-throughs you'll find anywhere. Here are just a few of the
guides we have, with many more already available, and even
more on the way.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Learn the strengths and weaknesses of all the towns, units,
heroes, and spells. Also get all six campaign walk-throughs.

Baldur's Gate

For the best information and tips on every item, monster,
quest, and character, you'll want to read our Baldur's Gati
guide, written by Desslock.

Alpha Centauri

Our book-sized Alpha Centauri guide has everything you need
to dominate every other faction on the planet.

You can read all these guides online or download them to
keep on your computer. Or if you want, you can subscribe to
GameGuides.com and get a year's worth of strategy guides all
at once.

Release Calendar

If you want to find out what games are coming out when, check out
our reiease caiendar. Not only does it list more than 200 games and
their respective ship dates, but also includes game description and links
to all demos, previews, and news on those games. We update it several
times a month, so you always get the most current information.

Reality Comes Knocking

Find out how 3dfx rose from relative obscurity to become the dominant
3D chip-maker. But how long is it going to enjoy a position at the top?
We explore the history of this 30 company.

Demos

GameSpot has the most thorough and regularly updated game demo
library on the Web. We've got demos of Daikatana, Slave Zero,
Commandos, Alpha Centauri, and hundreds of others.

www.computergaming.i

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

F-22 lICHTHINe 3

featuring

TACnCAl NUCLEAA WEAPONS*

Also featuring Voice-Over-Net i. - Talk with over 120 other pilots during intense NovaWorid online multiplayer comhat.
lUOVALOGIC www.novalogic.com BOO.SSB.13SS NOW playldS OH NOVOWoNlI

‘Aica-OvB-Net ii milaUe witli ) b'liiileil Im Hill sKet tfimigh NonWidirs prEiniirn senice. Wke-Ovei-Nel b mitVt saljr in KniW»<il ©1999 NiviUgic. Inc. NnvnLsjic and ibe Novalogic logo n isginetcd Iradcnaii!. Ace-Ovct-Ncl KcviWirtl. F-22 Ughtning an tradtniaiiii ol Novalogic.

Go to #127 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

CC-ROM

Play Heroes III and
Eight Other Hot Demos!

HUGE 335-PAGE
STRATEGY GUIDE^
TO SID MEIER’S
AlPHA CENTAURI

HIGH HEAT

PRODUa/GENRS: Baseball

\Hh2k_demo\setup.exe
Play three innings with either New York or San
Diego.

V *5 ■ ' - C

DEER HUNTER 2

PRODUG/GENRE: Hunting Game
£X’fC‘L/r4Btf; \dhunter2\deerhunter2demo.exe
Easy sample hunting ground to find yourself some
venison.

Video Clips

Planescape Torment
Darkstone
Max Payne
Giants

Toolbox

Myth li Tactics

Alpha Centauri Strategy Guide

REQUIEM

PRODUG/GENRE: First-person 3D action
shooter.

WfCt/Mflif,- \requiem\reqdemo.exe
Battle one boss and her demon spawn in this one
chamber sneak peak.

HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC III

AdditionalJune CD Titles

I n this demo, you get to play 29 turns of the latest game in the Might and
Magic series. Gameplay centers around exploring with your heroes, recruit-
ing new forces, managing resources, building up towns, doing battle with
other heroes, and expanding your territory. Improvements from Heroes II in-
clude enhanced graphics, tons of new units, upgrades for all units, and lots of
new spells and heroes. In the demo level, you are placed in a world with a good
seleaion of towns, resources, wandering monsters, treasure, and enemy heroes
to familiarize yourself with the game system.

ROLICAGE

PRODUG/GENRE: Arcade racer
fXfCt/MSif: \rollcage\setup.exe
Drive two cars on one track in this wild arid crazy
racing game.

SEVEN KINGDOMS III

PRODUG/GENRE: Real time strategy game
£VfCL/rMf.'\sevenkingdoms\Www.exe
Non-interactive multimedia presentation
describing Seven Kingdoms 111 including a video
trailer

VITRUAL DEEP SEA FISHING

PRODUG/GENRE: Deep sea fishing sim.
DffCi/Mflif.- \vds_fishing\install.exe
The demo has a fishing trip off the coast in San
Diego with a 10 minute playing limit.

PRODUa/eCNKE EXCCUJABll DESCIlIPJIOfJ

Turn based fantasy adventure theroesiii'selup.exe Play 29 turns in one sample level.

MACHINES

PffODt/a/Gf/V/?f:First/third-person
action game

EXECUTABLE: \machines\setup.exe
Play three single-player missions and one
multiplayer mission of futuristic warfare.

THE AXE

PRODUG/GENRE: Interactive music game
fXfCt/rABIf; \demos\axe\install.exe
Claymalion characters take solos with three
different instruments.

/ .computergaming. c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ♦JUNE 1999

COMPUTER

GAMIMC

WORLD

leeUniade

Editorial Director Johnny Wilson
Editor-in-chief George Jones

Executive Editor Ken Brown
Managing Editor Joe Vallina
Features Editor Denny AtKin (Simulations)

Reviews Editor Terry Coleman (Previews, Wargames, Gamer's Edge)
Tedinical Editor Dave Salvator (Hardware)

Senior Editor Jeff Green (RPG, Sports, Re3d.Me)

Associate Editor Robert Coffey (Action, Strategy)

Assistant Editor Thierry Nguyen (Previews)

CG-ROM Editor Jack Rodrigues

Editorial Assistant Tom Price

Editorial Intern Jesse Hiatt

Contributing Editors Scorpia (Adventure Games),

ChadesArdal (Interactive Fiction), Loyd Case (Hardware)

Founder Russell Sipe

Art Director Steven Wancz^

Production Director Carlos Lugo
Production Manager Martin Walthall
Electronic Prepress Group
Manager Michele Kellogg
Assistant Manager Tamara Gargus
Technidan Roger Drake

Address questions and feedback to:

CtnVEditonal, IBS Main SL, Mth Floor, San Francisco, CA9A10S.
Of you may contact us via:

CGWIetteisdrd.com

Phone: (41 5) 357-4900

Editorial Fax; (415)357-4977

Web site: www.computergamtng.com

Assodate Publisher Suzaruie Reider (415) 357-491 5
East Coast Sales Manager Laura Pitaniello (212) 503-4851
East Coast Sales Assistant Jennifer Lopes (212) 503-3926
Southwest Sales Manager Pat Walsh (949) 851-2556
Southwest Sales Assistant Sandy Marciniak (949) 852-5914
Midwest Sales Manager Mard Yamaguchi (41 5) 357-4944
Silicon Valley/Northwest Sales Manager
Dm Montgomery (415) 357-4925
Senior Marketing Manager SalSharma (415) 357-4935
National Account Rep Joann Casey (415) 357-4920
Advertising Coordinator Leslie Ventimiglia (415) 357-4930
Assistant to the Publisher Linda Fan (41 5) 357-5425
Account Representative Tallie Fishbume (41 5) 357-5226

Address inquiries to CGW Advertising, 135 Main St., 14lh Floor, San
Francisco, CA 94105; or call (415) 357-5398, fax (415) 357-4999,

Vice President Dale Strang
Business Director Cathy Bendoff

For subscription service quesiions, address changes or ordering Information, call
(303) 66S-8930 viriihin the U.S. and Canada. Ail other countries call (303) 604-
744S or write to Computer Caming Worid, P.O. Box S71 67, Boulder, CO 80322-
7167. The one year (12 Issue) subscripliors rate is $27.94 in the U.S., and $43.94
outside the Ui.; the rate lor ore year (1 2 issue) subscript'ons with the monthly
CD-ROM is $42.94 in the U.S., and $58.94 outside the Ui. Checks must be made
payable in U.S. currency only to Computer Gaming World.

Back Issues on be purchased for $8 in the U.S. and $10 outside the Ui. (CD-ROM
version not available). Prepayment is necessary. Checks must be made pe^le in U.S.
currency only to Corrputer Gaming World. Mall your request to Back Is^, 20, Inc.,
P.O. Box $3131, Soukfer, CO 60322-3131.

We perkxfcally make fm of our customers available to mailers of goods and services
that may interest you If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please write to us
and indude a copy of your mailing label.

■■"i" .'i.. .

WRITE US, DAMMIT! CGWLETTERS@ZD^;eOM

VAMPIRE BITES BACK

I loved the cover on the April issue. I just opened up my
May issue to find people bitching to all hell about it. Get a life people!
It's a freakin' picture of a vampire! Sorry if some of us don't get off
looking at pictures of chairs and rolling nice green lawns on our
magazines. Go read Better Homes and Gardens or some crap if you don't
like CGHr. And CGW, keep putting out more and more awesome covers!

Aiaric

We 'd like to thank all those who wrote in support of the April cover. When the issue
came out, most of the feedback was negative, so most of the May issue letters reflect-
ed that. Since then huzzahs have outnumbered hurrumps about 3 to I It has been
the most controversial cover ever, and we thought we'd print a few more opinions
here before closing on the issue.

I just read the Letters section in

May's issue. Screw all the prudes, wussies,
and whiners that didn’t appreciate the fine
example of a female vampire that graced
April’s cover! Keep up the good work, CGW.

From a 33-year-old male who gets a
mahogany whenever Cleopatra’s emissary
visits him in Civ II,

Grant Berdan

What was all the fuss about? You see

a lot worse on TV. at the movies, at the mall,
at the beach, etc. You would have to stay in a
room with no TV, never go out, or blindfold
yourself not to see this kind of thing.

Anyway, keep doing what you do best and
that's put out a great magazine. You don't
have to worry about me ever canceling my
subscription, unless you start covering
country music or give sewing tips.

Doug Anderson

So much for the Garth Brooks Cross-Stitch Strategy
Tips Special.

I thought that the Vampire cover
was inappropriate. The cover should be
representative of what the other 200 or so
pages of the magazine contain. The people
who are looking for video game content are
now saddled with a magazine that, while the
content is appropriate for many age groups,
and environments, the cover is not. You do
not do your readers a service by putting them
in this situation.

Ryan Spanlon

The April cover model, Angel Carter,

had a great makeup job, However, shouldn’t
the fang marks have been vertical, not
horizontal? I don't think it’s possible for
someone to get bitten on the neck at the
angle portrayed on the cover.

Gary Bremer, Jr.
U.S. Navy

We've learned that to shoot a vampire you must:
get the model for at least 3 hours, watch where the
makeup artist puts the bite marks, and make sure her
bustier fils.

I fit your target demographics (34,
white, professional male), and I am sick of
seeing women used as marketing devices. If
C6kV wants to use sex to sell, that is your
right and the consumers will then vote with
their dollars (you might be on the winning
end). But don't take your argument for doing
such to some false intellectual plane. It is
pure "boobs, sex, violence = sales (money),
and we want ours" marketing plain and
simple.

Scott Morgan

I'm appalled at the rash of letters

concerning your April cg^r. What’s the big
deal? Anytime I want to see worse than that,
all I have to do is watch an episode of
Melrose Place. Clearly we as a nation either
have way too much time on our hands, or are
just too friggin' repressed. Perhaps it’s a
combination of both.

Mike Bean

I think your April cover was very
spontaneous and completely appropriate

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD * JUNE 1999

/.computergaming.c

THE DEADLIEST CHEATDHES
INTHEDNIVEHSEAHEADDDTTD
MEET THEIH MATCH...

• SCALE WALLS and elevator shafts as an Alien and advance with fright-
ening speed as you attack to devour your opponents.

• STALK YOUR PREY as the deadly Predator using wrist blades, shoulder
cannons and invisibility as you surprise attack your enemies.

• LOCK AND LOAD as a Marine using motion trackers, pulse rifles and
flame-throwers to eradicate these vile creatures.

The three most ferocious species in the universe are pitted against one another in a hloodthirsty battie for the uitimate prize —
survival. Take your stand as a Marine, a Predator, or an Alien, where one wrong move turns you from hunter into prey.

• AVP DELIVERS the most shockingly realistic first person and multi-player action with heart-stopping suspense and shocking realism.

• OVER 50 LEVELS of enormous, terrifyingly realistic game environments offer virtually unlimited replay to let you hone your combat skills
to a razor-sharp edge.

• FEATURING THREE OF THE SADDEST BEINGS in the science fiction world — who is supreme warrior? Cooperate or compete with your
friends using the full multi-player networking option.

i [ N

VERSUS

^ B t u ^ ^

PlffOAfoit

PC Icceliratiir

Is there anyone that doesn’t want to play this one?'

—PC Hamer

Go to #187 @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink

Chairman and CEO Eric Hippeau

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Timothy O'Brien

Chief Internet Strategist Claude P. Sheer

Presidents

ZD Market intelligence Bob Brown

ZD Events Jason Chudnofsky

ZD Brand and Market Services TertI Holbrooke

ZD Publishing Michael S. Perils

ZD Internet Productions Dan Rosensweig

ZD Education William Rosenthal

ZD Television LanyW.Wangberg

Executive Vice President, International Aymar de Lencquesaing

Vice Presidents

Marylou Berk (Corporate Real Estate and Facilities)
Steve Gladyszewski (Information Services)

Mark Moyer (Controller)

Tracy Nadi (Human Resources, Operations)

Thomas L Wright (Treasurer)

Corporate Sales

Joe Gillespie (Executive Vice President)

Michael Perkowski (Vice President, Marketing)

Jeff Bruce (Executive Director)

Scott Murphy (Executive Director)

Rita Burke (Managing Director)

ZD Brand and Market Services
Terri Holbrooke (President)

Charlotte Rush (Senior Vice President, Communications)
Elda Vale (Vice President, Corporate Research)

Barbara Lyon (Vice President, Marketing Communications)

President Mike Perils

Executive Vice Presidents Jack Dolce. Al DiGuido, Thomas
McGiade, Michael J. Miller, Jim Spanfeller

Senior Vice President Nancy Newman

Vice Presidents John Dodge, Roger Herrmann, Peter Hongo,
Eric Lundquist, Bill Machrone, Jim Manning, Charles Mast, Paul
Somerson, Dale Strang, Mark Van Name

Director, Benchmark Operations Eric Hale

Director, ZD Labs Lauren Black

Director, ZD Testing and Analysis Group Bill Catchings

Director of Public Relations Glynnis Woolridge

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD (ISSN 0744-6667) Is published
monthly by Zlif-Davis. Copyright © 1 999 Ziff-Davis. All Rights
Reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced In any
form without permission, if you want to quote from an article,
write to Chantal Tucker, One Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-
S802, orfax212-S03-5420,

^i^ZlFF-DAVIS

a SOFT' HANK
company

Computer G,mlng Woridh not affiliated with IDG,

Audit Bureau ot
Circulations
Member

For reprints, please call
Ziff-Davis reprints at
(800) 825-4237.

for your readers. Please don't let a few
angry parents intimidate you or your staff
and stop you from doing what you think is
best. Parents are not the only ones reading
your magazine, and younger readers such
as myself should be heard also. I hope you
won't be intimidated or pressured into
changing the way you select your covers.

Zonk Ishayev

I can understand how some people
would get upset when they saw the April
cover, but I saw something in the May issue
that put it into perspective: an ad on page
135 for the ATI Rage Fury shows two eyes
in a bag. Now if I was a parent, that would
send a chill up my spine and make me
wonder about the current state of
humanity, not some beautiful woman
dressed as a vampire.

To all of those who wrote to complain
about the April issue: It was one issue out
of 1 2 this year. It's gone now. Get on with
your lives.

Jason Allen

The April CCl/1/ cover was
disturbing. The makeup and the blood
on the model was unsettling. I didn't like it,
my kids (including a teenager) didn't like it,
and my wife hated it. 1
ended up tearing the
cover off the issue and
tossing it. That was a
first — for any
magazine in the house.

Mike Cazaubon

I cannot believe the
outrage over your April
cover. Every one of those letters
referred to the size of that
woman's breasts. What the heck
does that have to do with anything? It
sounds like they are saying, "I don't mind
my child swearing or being exposed to
simulated killing in PC games, but PLEASE,
OH, PLEASE don't let them see part of a
woman’s breast, especially if they are big."

What a bunch of hypocrites! You're all
doing a fine job; please keep it up!

Randy Millard

MAC MAKES
A COMEBACK

1 am writing in response to Johnny
Wilson's Editorial in the April issue ("Ole
Mac Is Back"). I'm glad that someone in the

PC world has something nice to say about
the Mac. Last April I converted to the
Macintosh after using a PC for more than
1 0 years. 1 have to say it is by far the best
computer I have ever used. The only
problem is that good games are sometimes
hard to find. I solved that problem by
sticking OrangeMicros' high end PC card in
my Mac, so basically I have two computers
in one box. Helps save desk space. It works
great and plays all the latest games great.
As for the IMac, this is not a gaming
computer. To get a good gaming computer
you have to get one of the desktop or mini-
tower G3 models. I have been a subscriber
to your magazine for a long time, and I will
continue to do so, as you always have great
coverage of upcoming games, whether PC
or Mac.

Kevin Kelly

I am an avid reader of CGlVand a
Mac user. Obviously I don't read CGW
for the in-depth Macintosh product
reviews or all the snide remarks that sneak
in where ever possible (though I do find
them amusing). I read CGWbecause
where else is a Mac guy going to get the
dope on all the great new titles that might
someday make it to his computer?

I just purchased
my April
edition, flipped
through the
first few
pages and
there it was!

An almost fair
article on Apple and
how it is finally getting
its altogether! Who
would have thought I'd see
such an article in the "PC or die"
game mag of them all. The article was
very fair, though it's obvious that you still
don't get it, but it is a start. Then to top it
all off you went and listed the Mac system
requirements for Myth II! Keep it up and
you might end up with a few thousand
new subscribers.

Man Mabry

The Mac is indeed a viable gaming platform again.

The IMacs are hot sellers, and the new G3s are solid
gaming systems (see our review on page 132). The
only problem remains a lack of titles. Apple insists (as
they have for years) that this time they're really going
after the gaming market. We hope they put their mon-
ey where their mouth is and help developers convert
more new games to the Mac.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999

/.compiitc-rg.imins.e

It Europe! lit \VU7J. (Jic

and (fdiispitfiii^
yours. The wir years lely on the
•d. Be a patriot and do your pan!

]VcoonI[

..✓^EXPANSION PACK

Go to #124 ® www.oomputergamlng.cdm/infollnk ^

Developed by

POP

PO|iTO|i feftwora

wvw.poptop.com

■\ i.KV iiiiin, wonuHi, and child who cnjcn ccl the plca'^iinirics
m of an afternoon well spent \^^Ih the smash PC hit
oilrond T^'cooji II has .anticipated the arrival of this
Itra modern expansion pack. Eighteen all-new eam-
aign scenarios divided into three distinct historical
ras arc sure to delight today's modern PC gamer.

IDE TME HAILS PACK IN TIME!

In the passage from 1939 ihroiigli 1950,
top along the way to do your part for the war effort.
Jeliver troops and supplies to the besieged Allied
ront. Rebuild the British rail system after its
estriiclion in the Blitz. Protect Mother Russia frntn
lie advancing Germans. Only a foolproof rail system
an spell victory for the Allies!
lODERN TIMES REQUIRE PROGRESSIVE THINKING!

Ne.xt stop, the Modern Era. .Solve ihe irans-
lorialion problems facing the modern world from 1950
0 2005. Help build a modeni Metra pas.senger system
or Seattle. Manage the suboccanic Cluinnel system
iclween England and France without drowning in debt.
Ic the visionary who links two of America's greatest
ities, Los Angeles and San Franci.sco, with long-awaited
ligh-spced rail.

.AST STOP, THE FUTURE!

From 2005 to 2030. worldwide Hooding and

New engines! The French TGV Bullet.. .the German DB18
201 MODERN STEAM TRAIN.. .THE BRENNER412... ENJOY THEM ALL.
Presenting new cars such as Metra passenger cars...
TROOP transports. ..AND WEAPONS FLATBEOS!

Over 15 exceptional stand-alone scenarios, most are
multiplayer ready. Be the first on your block to try them!

melting ice caps wreak new havoc for the modern rail-
road tycoon. The United Slates is a watery wasteland.
The Mediterranean is an empty hasin with a hlossom-
iiig F.dcn. Antarctica is a promising agricultural center.
The heady task ol providing rail systems for this
strange and e.solic new world falls upon your shoulders.
No doubt only the most ingenious solutions will do.

One of the wonoehs of the world?

• This fine came boasts new buildings! Weapons plants...
army barracks.. .and a distillery.

• Melted Antarctica.. .FLOODED United States.. .dried upMedi-
TERRANEAN... these AND OTHER NEW LANDSCAPES ABOUND!

Jlidiiv'.i Hilxiii dwc/lcr aids for cfficicnl cimJ c/Jorilcss
(iiivcl. Tlic (ill-nnv Alcira scenario will tliullciigc vcHi
Id crvdic II pii.s.snigcr liglil itiif .sy.sicui for the citizens
of Seaiile.

In llic /iitiov, llic GcoCorc power pJtinl (tip.s (In
tintli'.v core for energy. You must iniplenietii (lie mil
svsiem (Inti supports this imiisticil iiicltrstiv.

GET READY

TO^COMMAIMD

liHElEllliTURE.

ShSmShsS*^^ " !'uS3ini

mma

Eao

i..jg.

iilB]^

THE STUNNING SEQUEL TO THE

PIIIGIMAL COMMAND & CONQUEi^

CHAMPION
IS BACK.”

Computer Gaming World

COMING SUMMER ’99

SUnHER

www.thq.com www.gamelx.com

SInItlxr 0 19tZ Mfitiiav Gamtt Inc. Sinlilar and Midway are teglataiad Iradamarts ol Midway Gamaa Inc. and need
undtr llcania by THO Inc. All rlghla rastivid. GamaFX and THO Inc. ora Iradamarte ol THQ Inc. Sonwoie In Ihia
game 0 1999 THQ Inc. All righia rKtrved.

\ ,.i»=“'' „,u""i? 5 oiv

?? HaOY TO

ffl^ftRAHGE

iiillsSisaS"''

IFYou^HTm

fBna'Vfj)

f^openies ,

^'S'on, Inc. /
; fespecjive

FROSTLESS

BY GAMERS. FOR

PAUL DOUGLAS
Confounding Factor
‘ Last game - Tomb Raider
> Next project • Galleon

TOBY CARD
Confounding Factor

• Last game - Tomb Raider

• Next project - Galleon

GREG ZESCHUK
BioWare Corp

• Hit Title - Baldur's Gate

• Next project - MDK 2

RAY MUZYKA
BioWare Corp

• Hit Title - Baldur’s Gate

• Next project - MDK 2

ALAN PAVLISH
Tantrum

• Legacy - Wasteland

• Next Tantrum release -
Descents

FEARGUS URQUHART
Black Isle Studios
» Latest release - Fallout 2
• Next role - Planescape Torment

RUSTY BUCHERT
Tantrum

Last voyage - Star Trek:

Starfleet Academy
Next game • It’s
Top-Secret. :)

BRIAN CHRISTIAN

14° East ,

Coming Sooii:

Star Trek - Starfleet Command
Star Trek - Klingon Academy
Star Trek -New Worlds

DAVID PERRY
Shiny Entertainment, Inc.

Gig Hit -Earthworm lim
Upcoming release - Messiah

ND ON THE

NICK BRUTY
Planet Moon Studios
Latest game - MDK
Next project - Slants;
Citizen Kabuto

STEVE CHAPLIN
. Celerls, Inc.

Latest release - Virtual Pool 2
Next title is on a need to
know basis

DREW MARKHAM '

Xatrlx Entertainment
Last game - Redneck Rampage
Upcoming • Kingpin: Life of Crime

Herplsy Productions. Interplay, the Interpiay logo. ‘By Samirs. For Gamers.', 14° East. Blach IsleSluckos. Descents, Falljut 2 A-PosI Nuclear Bole-Playing Game, Galleon, Giants: Citueri Kabuto, Kmganand Kuigpur LDe Ot Cnme, Messwih, Reditedc Rampage.
'irtua!>DelarKiWik)9are trademarks ol Inlertfay Productions. MDK, MDK2, and SJwy Entertainment are trademarks ot Shiny Entenairsneni, liw. BalOur's Gate. Torment and Planescape are trade-mark* olTCH,lne.,asub5idiaryo( Wizards Of The Coast, Inc., and
re used by Interplay under Icense. All RigissReaerved. Star Trek, Slarlloot Academy and related marks are trademarks ol Paramount Picturss. Ml Rights Reserved. All other copynghia end iraOvrtaiks are the properly otdteiriespectrve owners.

Go to #262 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink ’ ■ * '

I^^THE lATlST HEWS FROM THE COMPUTER GAMING WORLD Edited by jeff„green@zd.coni

CGW Does F

Your Fearless
Editors Roll Up,
Time In, and Turn
On for the
Biggest Gaming
Event of the Year

B y the time you read this, the CGkV editors will have dogpiled into the

company 1 972 VW van and gone on their way to Los Angeles for the annual
headache-inducing gaming extravaganza known as the Electronic
Entertainment Expo. Yes, like taxes, or a bad rash, E3 is upon us once again,
and it's our job be there and soak it in. Hype, parties, booth bimbos, and the
occasional computer game are what E3 is all about, and we'll do our best to cover it all for
you. Check www.gamespot.com for up-to-the-minute coverage, and be sure to read
our upcoming, humongoid, post-E3 Fall Preview issue later this summer, once we're back
at the office and sober again.

In the meantime, here are 1 0 of the games we're most anxious to see at this year's expo:

Black and White

Is it a game or an elaborate Rorschach
test? About all that's clear about the flag-
ship title from Peter Molyneux's Lionhead
Studios is its sweeping ambition.

Incorporating elements from Molyneux's
groundbreaking POPULOUS games, this god
game could shatter the real-time strategy
mold by responding uniquely to every
gamer's style of play. The game's magic sys-
tem will encompass pure good, pure evil,
and everything in between, allowing players to play as they wish. The hook here is that the
physical world and everyone and everything will reflect the tenor of your play, with the
earth charring and splitting under evil rule or thriving under benevolent guidance. BLACK
AND WHITE has the potential to be truly revolutionary.

Command & Conquer 2: Tiberian Sun

We want to see TIBERIAN SUN simply because we're champing at the bit
to play it. While we were hoping the game would ship in time for last
Christmas, we're encouraged by the designers' taking the time to
balance and tweak it properly. We'll wipe the anticipatory drool
off our chins long enough to check the progress of the dynamic,
problem-solving Al, the new units, and other game revisions

before relaying the information to you, our
beloved readers, in a future issue.

Deus Ex

Of the initial Ion Storm lineup, the one
title we anticipate the most is also the one that
is getting the least hype. The fact that it's an
action-RPG using the UNREAL engine is already intrigu-
ing, but the setting and involvement of designing legend
Warren Spector {SYSTEM SHOCK, ULTIMA UNDERWORLD) is

v.computergaming.c

GGW DOES E3 • 5. 10. 15 VEARS AGO • REALITY CHECK • WEB PICKS

what makes this title stand out. No fairies or magic pixie wands here: Instead, you get
spies, conspiracies, and locales like the White House and the streets of Shanghai. Think
James Bond meets The X-ft/es— with the UNREAL engine and the creative energy of an
industry veteran — and you can see why we can't wait to declassify this game at E3.

Diablo II

Merely the sequel to one of the best games of the last decade. Blizzard's been working
on this title for so long now, and we've been anticipating it for so long, that it's easy to
forget to be excited about it. But make no mistake, this display is going to be one of the
most crowded, popular ones at E3, and we'll be there too. Remember how much better
WARCRAFT II was than WARCRAFT? And remember how awesome the original DiABLO
already was? Don't start underestimating Blizzard now.

Flight Combat: Thunder Over Europe

Finally, Looking Glass has taken its talents for developing realistic looking and flying
flight sims and added a much-requested feature: guns. Taking off at E3, FLIGHT COMBAT will
have you flying over European terrain with the quality of the company's FLIGHT UNLIMITED
titles. But those who aren't interested in practicing for a real pilot's license will find a highly
detailed damage model, realistic flight physics, and Al pilots of varying bravery levels more
engaging than pretty scenery. A flight recorder will let you savor your kills, and there's even
apparently a chance there will be a flyable Me-163 rocket plane.

Force Commander

In an effort to make sure George
Lucas can still afford to buy groceries
after the release of the Star Wars
Episode /this summer, LucasArts will be
showcasing this real-time strategy title.

Shown at last year's E3, FORCE
COMMANDER has been MIA for a year
and has been the subject of more
rumors than Area 51 — is it set in the classic Star Wars universe or the prequel? Why is it
taking so long? We debunked some rumors in our special Episode I preview last month, but
we hope to bring you more info when LucasArts lifts the Cone of Silence in L.A.

Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine

Harrison Ford may be getting too old to make another Indy movie, but at least gamers
will get the chance to play his digital avatar in this third-person action/adventure title. Set

CGW's

ifsauivi

■ UIBCK

Van Halen's David Lee Roth once said that the reason that all rock critics loved Elvis Costello was
because they looked like him. This same theory explains why all the gaming critics love HALF-LIFE: We
all look like Gordon Freeman. In any event, here’s the latest roundup of 10 recent games and their
corresponding review scores In the major gaming mags and Web sites. All scores use each pub's own

scoring system.

CGW

(OUTOFFm)

PC GAMER
(HIT Orion)

PC GAMES

(i-f)

CGSBUnCYPlUS

(ouiornm

PC ACCELERAIOR

(OUT OF 10)

GAMESPOT
(OUT or 10)

GAMECENTER

(OVTOFFIVr)

4 st» .

94%

A-

5 stars

83%

C-r-

4.5 stars

7.8

4 stars

92%

3.5 stars

9.2

3 stars

2i stars

82%

2.5 stars

5.5

4 stars

9.3

4 stars

SM's Alpha Cent.

5 stars

98%

4 stars

5 stars

^Iciiy'iSoo .

B-

8.4

4 stars

SC: Brood War

5 stars

4 stars

92%

8-p

4 stars

8.6

4 stars

Thief

4.5 stars

90%

4.5 stars

5 stars

1 *no rating available at press time.

■ red indicates editor’s choice games

FORCE COMMANDER

5, 10, and 15

Years Ago in CEW

What We Were Writing About
White You Were in Diapers

15 Years Ago: June 1984

By far the silliest thing in this
issue, the ad for the "Grand
Stand" is a s hinin g example
of ’80s gamer's kitsch. A taU,
curving, freestanding post to
hold your joystick in from of
your chair, the device removed
any question of whether game
controllers are phallic symbols.
It might hold your stick steady,
but it's doubtful that any dork
with one sitting in the living
room would have any chance at
scoring.

10 Years Ago: June 1989

In June 1989, the esteemed Dave Ameson,
codesigner of Dungeons and Dragons,
wrote a great review of
HIDDEN AGENDA, a "Banana
Republic" simulator. The
gamer is "El Presidente"of a
small developing nation trying
to steer a course through
various political minefields. An
entire game could be played in
under two hours, while providing deep levels of
simulation. This game is stiU fun 10 years later
and stands as a great example of how gameplay
is more important than flashy graphics.

5 Years Ago: June 1994

1994 was unquestionably the year of DOOM.
Significant advances in technology made it an
addictive single-player expe-
' rience. It was however, the
multiplayer component that
brought workflow to a stand-
still in offices across America
(especially ours). Five years
later, John Romero, the most
famous of the id team, is still
winning awards for bis efforts: Most recently,
Ion Storm's DOMINION got runner-up for our
Coaster of the Year award.

The cheap shots never stop, folks.

Web Sites

of the Month

The big Web event for the CGW goons this month
was the release of the Siar Wars Episode I trailer.
Editorial Assistant Tom Price downloaded it, and the
rest of us watched it over and over, until the boss
yelled at us to get back to our desks and play TRIBES.

Here’s what else we liked on the Web this month.

[Web Sites of the Month, continued on page 49]

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD »JUNE 1999

CGW DOES E3 • PIPELINE • THE GOOD. THE BAD, AND THE UGLY

PIPELINE

Send notices to: cgwplpeline@zd.com

A-IO Warthog Jane's/EA

Q3 '99

Age of Empires II Ensemble/Microsoft

03 '99

Anachronox Eldos

Q3 '99

Babylon 5 Space Combat Sierra F/X

Q4'99

Q3 '99

Beneath Activision

03 '99

Civil War Generals 3 Impresslons/Slerra

Q3'99

1 Conquest: Front. Wars Digital AnvIl/MIcrosoft Q3 '99 1

Osikatmia Ion Storm/Eldos

03 '99

Dark RelgnZ ActIvMon

Q3'99

Daryl F. Gates' Polica Quest: SWAT 2 Sierra

Q3'99

Destroyer Command SSI

Q3'99

Diplomacy Avalon Hill/Hasbro Interactive

Q3'99

Drakan Psygnosis

02 '99

Field & Stream Trephy Bass 3D Sisrra Sports

02 '99

Fighting Steel SSI

02 '99

Flanker 2.0 SSI

Q2 '99

Flight Unlimited III EA

02 '99

avi G.O.D.

03 <99

Gabriel Knight 3 Sierra Studios

02 '99

Giants Interplay

Q3 '99

Heavy Metal: F.A.K.K. ^ G.O.D.

04 '99

Hidden and Dangerous TalonSoft/Take 2

Q3 '99

High Heat Baseball 2000 3D0

02 '99

Homewerld Sierra Studios

02 '99

Indiana iones/lnfemal Machine LueasArts

03 '99

Interstate '82 Activision

03 '99

Jane's F/A-18 Jane's /EA

04 '99

Kingpin Intenilay

03*99

Loose Cannon Microsoft

04 '99

Madden 2000 EA Sports

qa'99

Maximum Overkill Novalogic

03 '99

Max Payne 6.O.D.

03*99

MochWanlor III MIcroPrese

02 '99

Messiah Shlny/lnterplay

03 '99

Metal Fatigue Psvenosis

MIG AUey Empire

03 '99

NASCAR Racing III Sierra SporU

03 '99

Noctunte O.O.D.

Omikron Sides

04 '99
03 '99

Outcast Infogrames

Q3'99

Panzer General 3D SSI

Q3’99

Planescape: Torment Interplay

03 '99

Point of Attack HPS SImulaUons

02 '99

Quake 111 Arena id Software

03 '99

Requiem 3DO

01 '99

Revenairt Eldos

02 '99

Ro*Volt Acclaim

03 '99

Seoteira Core Monolith

Q3 '99

Settlers HI: Quest Of TTw Amazoru Blue Byte

Q3'99

Seven Kingdoms II Interactive Maj^c

03*99

Shadow Company Interactive Magic

Q2’99

Shadowpact Blue Byte

04 '99

Shogun: Total War EA

Q2'99

Slave Zero Accolade

02 '99

Soldier of Fortune Raven/Aetivision

03 '99

Stailancer Digital Anvll/Mierosoft

04 '99-

Star Trek KUngon Academy Interplay

03 '99

Star Trek New Worlda Interplay

03 '99

Star Trek Sfit Com. Quicksilver/Interplay

03 '99

Star Wars Ep. 1: The Pharrtom Men. LueasArts

02*99

Swords & Sorcery Westwood

Q3 '99

System Shock 2 Looking Glass/EA

02 '99

Tachyon Novalogic

04 '99

Tanktics Interplay

02*99

Team Fortresa II Valve/Sierra

04*99

Total Annihilation: Kingdoms Cavodog

03 '99

Ultima Ascension Ori^n/EA

04 '99

Vampire: The Masipierade Activision

04 '99

WarCrafi 11 Platinum Blizzard

02 '99

Warhammer40kRttesofWarDreamforge/SSI Q3'99 1

Warlords Prophecy SSO/SSI/Red Orb

Q3 '99

Werewolf ASC Games

04 '99

WUd, Wild West SoutiiPeak

04 '99

Wings of Destiny Psygnosls

03 '99

after World War II, INDIANA JONES AND THE
INFERNAL MACHINE will Stay true to the spirit of
the movies as Indy races against time and
around the globe to thwart a group of nasty
Russians out to rebuild an ancient device capa-
ble of generating incredible evil.

Jane's USAF

From the creators of ISRAELI AIR FORCE, USAF
will feature a new terrain engine and campaigns
ranging from historical Vietnam missions in an
F-1 05 Thud to future scenarios in the F-1 5C and
F-22. It will also introduce Jane's new World War multisim multiplayer support. We're anx-
ious to get some hands-on time in this sim, and we're also hoping to hear more news
about the F/A-1 8 sim under development by Jane's Baltimore team.

Panzer General 3D

PANZER General's record as the best-selling computer wargame is in jeopardy, now that
AXIS & ALLIES has sold more than 350,000 copies. So, the retail wars should only escalate
when SSI ships PANZER GENERAL 3D this fall — especially since it's one of the few turn-
based games to actually utilize Direct 3D. Aside from the typically tough SSI computer
opponent, PANZER 3D should be more playable over the Internet than its storied predeces-
sors, if only because SSI Online should actually function more like Battle.net than a stan-
dard Web site. Wargaming could really use a spark, and PANZER GENERAL 3D should cause
as big an explosion as the original did five years ago.

Ultima Ascension

With a significant amount of playable code ready. Origin should be rolling out ULTIMA
ASCENSION in a big way at the show. We hope this will help answer the big question: Can
this much-discussed RPG successfully make the shift to 3D? We think so (see page 60 in
this issue for our exclusive sneak peek), but the masses have yet to speak.

INDIANA JONES AND THE INFERNAL MACHINE

THE GOOD

• TEAM PLAY After spending years killing each other randomly (and repeatedly),
CGW has jumped on the team-play bandwagon in a big way, thanks to the awe-
some TRIBES and TEM FORTRESS CLASSIC, it’s been an
uphill battle to learn how to work tr^ther; thank good-
ness we still get to kill the other guys. Welcome to real
role-playing.

• STAR WARS EPISODE I RELEASE May 19, baby. Don’t
even bother calling us that day. We won’t be here. A new
Star Wars movie?! What a way to end the millennium!

THE BAD

* GDC BLOAT The Games Developers Conference is turning into a victim of its own
success, mth lots of hype and bluster, but not a whole lot of
content. Hey— that’s what E3 is for. And vrtiat was up wiUi
those semirancid boxed lunches?

• NO STAR WARS EPISODE I PRE-SALES Great Right when
we get all excited about the movie, 20th Century Fox
announces tliat tiiere won’t be advanced ticket sales. Don’t
bother calling us the entire week before opening day.

THE UGUr

• WING COMMANDER MOVIE Yikes. Okay, so we weren’t
expecting CmZEN KANE or STAR WARS EPISODE I anyway,
but this steaming pile isn’t even rental-worthy. Memo to
game designers: Stick to compirter games.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

/.cotnputer^.viiin}{.(

CONSOLE WARS • PLAYtNG LATELY • WEB PICKS

Conside ^A^rs:

GGW Checks in Start Again?

on the Other
Half of the
Gaming World

T he first shots have been fired in Game
Console War IV, with Nintendo and Sony
answering Sega's DreamCast salvo not
with hardware, but with psych warfare. The
DreamCast, out now in Japan and set to ship
in the United States before Christmas, is cer-
tainly an impressive system. But even with its
next-generation PowerVR graphics, it's not a
big enough jump to have you trading in your
PC anytime soon.

At the Game Developers Conference in
March, Sony showed off a number of dazzling
PlayStation 2 demos, with real-time work-
station-quality graphics wowing even the
jaded developer crowd. That machine, how-
ever, won't ship in the U.S. until the end of
2000 — at the earliest. Meanwhile, Nintendo

announced that a group of ex-Silicon Graphics engineers known as Art-X were developing
a next-generation machine for that company — but Nintendo won't even make specs avail-
able on the unit until the end of this year.

These early announcements by Sony and Nintendo break with the companies' usual tra-
dition of keeping things under wraps until the last minute. The companies likely want to
deflate any excitement about the DreamCast, in hopes that the machine will die in Sega
Saturn-like obscurity while gamers wait another year for the Sony and Nintendo machines.

So how does all this affect PC gamers? While many have commented that prototype
games on the PlayStation 2 blew away anything currently available on the PC, the same
could be said in 1 993 about games for the original PlayStation. By the time the new Sony
and Nintendo machines reach U.S. shores, PC gaming technology will likely have caught up
or surpassed them. So look at these new systems not as technological threats, but as pre-
views of computer gaming to come.

The more significant effect will be the continued popularity of low-cost, high-quality
game machines. These new units may serve to keep PC gaming in its niche, about a quarter
the size of the console market. Although there are few console games with the depth of
their PC cousins, the units' low price and ease of use means the mainstream will find them
an attractive alternative to the PC market, with its higher cost of entry and cavalier "fix the
game after it ships" attitude. — Denny Atkin

Sega's DreamCast is getting lots of
hype — so maybe that's why Sony and
Nintendo are blowing lots of smoke
about their own upcoming machines.

Here’s what our readers are blowing the most
time on. (CGW Survey!

1. Half-Life (Havas Interactive) —

_1_

PC Data Best-sellers*

1. SlmCItv 3000 ICAI

2. Sid Meier’s AJohaCentauri lEAl

9 S39

■ S41

2. BaMur's Gate (InlerDlaTl

3. Balduf's Gale llntemlavl

1 S44

, 1

3. StarCiafl: Brood Wars IBKzzardl

4. KaK-Life (Havas Interactive)

5 S38

4, Mieiit and Masie VI (New \Voifd/3DOI

5. Cabela’s BieGeme Hunter 2 lActtvIslan)

4 S19

S. NHL Hochev 99 lEA Snorts)

6. Deer Hunter II 3D IGT InUraclivel

3 S19

6. Rainbow Six (Red SlonnI

_4_

7. SbiCrafI: Brood Wars IHavas Interactive)

2 S27

7. Grim Fandaneo (LacasArtsI

8. StaiCraR IHavas Interactive)

6 $40

8. Caesar III ISIerra/KavasI

9. Deer Avewer IHavas Interactive!

11 S18

9. Ouake II lid Saftware/Activislonl

_9_

ID. Microsoft Flight Simulator (Microsoft)

8 $50

10. Wing Cmdr Prophecy Gold [Ori^n/EA]

‘ The toe-selling games as of February 28, 1
1 1999, calculated by PC Data (Reston. VA). |

(Web Sites of the Month, continued from page 47.]
First, of course, check out www.gamespot.com
for the best gaming news, reviews, and features.

DENNY'S PICK
www.simhq.com

Simulation Headquarters,
the Blues News of flight-sim
sites. If your hand almost
never comes off your joystick
(Ew! No, that's not what we
meant. Who do you think we
are, PC Accelerator?}, this is
the site to check out.

GEORGE’S PICK
www.arcadeclassics.com

Blasl-from-the-past
gaming rocks! Browse the
finest selection of classic
coin-op arcade games and
buy that sit-down Donkey
Kong you've been dreaming
about since 1986.

JEFF'S PICK

wivw.gamegiiides.com/guides/baidurs/
Desslock's massive,
exhaustive, online guide
to BALDUR'S GATE is the
ideal help site for those,
like me, who spend more
time reloading the game
than actually playing it.

JOE’S PICK
www.iiomestead.com

This is a great, free site
where you can build your
own Web pages. It has an ,

easy-to-use, Java-based, I

drag-and-drop interface,
and designing pages is a snap.

JOHNNY’S PICK

www.intercom.RD/-vidarn/^sp2scen.himl

For those who can't get
enough of the current con-
flict in the Balkans, check
out the Serbian scenarios
for STEEL PANTHERS II at
the General's Guild site.

ROBERTS PICK
www.themusiiroom.coiii

"For Dorks, by Dorks" is
the motto of this very
funny gaming Web site,
modeled after The Onion,

SCOOTER’S PICK
www.gamespyder.com/

The new "Yahoo for gam-
ing."They're still taking
submissions, but if you

www.cotnputergtiminB.com

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ■ JUNE 1999

For years, gamers on tight budgets have had to resort to buying
their PCs from the huge, impersonal business system
manufacturers that don’t know jack about gaming.

An aggressive new gaming system by Falcon Northwest
with guts by 3dfx. Priced to move.

Nort h west

Summer '99

www.falcon-nw.com

- Go to H257 @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink

CGWDe!

DESIGNER PROmE • WED PICKS • WHY? WHY? WHY? • TCHOCHKE Of Tiff MONTH

1. With BALDUR’S GATE behind you, what are you working on now?

I wear several hats. I'm BioWare's joint-CEO and CFO (we now have about 55 employ-
ees). 1 also am the executive producer of our animation division and co-executive
producer of our other two video game titles, one of which is MDK2 for the DreamCast
and PC, and the other a super-secret online project,

2. You’re a doctor.. .so what’s the coolest operation you performed
in medical school?

I always found assisting neurosurgeons kind of cool; I was surprised to see
the array of tools they use — quite a few looking like melon-ball scoops, not surprising
considering the consistency of the human brain. I actually wanted to be a general sur-
geon for a few years. It's kind of neat to stick your arm into someone's
abdomen to feel their liver to rule out potential metastatic tumors. I now mainly
practice rural emergency and family medicine.

3. Which character in BALDUR’S GATE Is most like you?

Daevaorn, a lOth-level mage, is my personal character from my pen-and-paper role-
playing days — except my character was chaotic good, rather than lawful evil.

4. Okay, my union contract obligates me to ask the standard "if
you were stranded on a desert island” question. What games
would you want with you?

WIZARDRY: PROVING GROUNDS OF THE MAO OVERLORD (yup, the first one, in all of it's
black-and-white vector graphic and text
glory) is something I never really got out
of my system. I've always wanted to play
SYSTEM SHOCK again, as well as ULTIMA
UNDERWORLD. ..QUAKE, STARCRAFT,

WARCRAFT, HALF-LIFE (gotta love
that sniper crossbow). Maybe
some of the great classic strategy games
as well— CIVILIZATION, POPULOUS,

SIMCITY.

5. If your team works late and
you spring for pizza, do you
always get Canadian bacon as a
topping?

Usually, at least on one. i've never
actually understood this
"Canadian bacon" thing you

American blokes come up with. Is
Canadian bacon somehow different? The
hogs are better up here somehow?

PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDER May
Leave You, Er, Saddle Sore

And DOW, in
the Truth Is
Stranger Than
Fiction
Department,
from the press
release for
PROFESSIONAL
BULL RIDER,
the latest
"sports" game from Sierra Sports.

“The 2,000 pound virtual bulls are rank
and ready to rumble. Perhaps the most
unique feature of PROFESSIONAL BULL
RIDER is competing in single events or
throughout a career as the cowboy OR
the bull. As the bull, you'll give cowboys
the ride of their life.”

Insert joke here.

On second thought— maybe not.

TchoMfke (choch’kel: slang, fmm Yiddish: a cheap, showy trinket
j — American Heritage Coiiege Dictionary, Third Edition

S A M 1th any luck, this month’s Tchotchke of the Month
mJa# will be smashed Into small chunks of plastic by the
W W time you read this. Why? Because the "Rowdy
Rocker,” as it is called, Is an unbelievably annoying
tamagochi-type toy that plays randomly generated heavy
metal songs and periodically screams out rock-and-roll
i cliches like “Alrl^tl” and “Are you ready to
i rock?I?r' thanks to our equally annoy-
ing managing editor, Joe Valiina,
who ieaves the dang thing on all
day long.

— Manag/ng editor's note:

Screw you, wuss rocker.

Sabbath rulz, Duran Duran droolz.

We don't know who sent this to
or why, but whoever you are: IVe

Bioware’s Dr. Ray Muzyka

Up Close
and

Personal

With the

Good

Doctor

Behind

BALDUR'S

GATE

want to search for Web sites dealing with a par-
ticular game, this is a good place to start.

TOM’S PICK

www.classicgaming.coni/

Cool land extensive! emu-
lator site with lots of ROMs,

TC’S PICK
httpj'/reagan.tkblack.com/Dipiomacy/

If you ever wondered what
all the fuss is about, here's
the place to start learning
about the Diplomacy gam-
ing phenomenon. Plenty of
great links to other
Diplomacy sites as well
inote that there is no
WWW in the URL|.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

with purchase of
PC version

CAI^i □ 1

Research over 400 technologies which
enable you to customize over 2000 unique
battle units

"This game should find its way
from the shelf, to the register,
to your counter." Game Center

"Warzone 2100 's numerous
innovations and sharp 3D
graphics may change a
few minds." EGM

-j. s

■ f ‘

■!i r i

Play the DEMO

Strategy By Design

Go to #152 ® www.coniputergaming.com/infoIink

nnunii.ioniMiiiit

PC FusuiHCOBi OiTneurEOBr DivtiApeDBr

*P| ^VIDGOSYSTEM ^j.POS ^anJJuTr

offksa:

Includes all 22 cars, 16 circuits and official data
from the 1998 Formula One World Championship
Season.

Fantastic graphics and speed. Plus 3D card and
Force Feedback support.

Accurate simulation and fun-to-play arcade
modes.

20-I- camera angles and ability to create your
own new camera positions.

Multiplayer support for up to 12 players.

informative helicopter fly-over of each circuit.

S-ir-'' mI c;? tho fastest. Out Now.

R7i

FORMUtAl

WORLD

vvww.eidos.com championship
Go to #153 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

Let Freedom Reign

F ollow in the footsteps of Scottish hero, William
Wallace, as you unite clans, overcome the mi^ht of
the Knglish army and guarantee freedom for all future
generations of Scots.

Ilased on the award-winning motion picture starring Mel
(jibson, Braveheart combines a free-flow, real-time strategy
engine with an expansive global management system.

In this historically accurate epic, there are no consolation
prizes in the battle for freedom.

❖ Allows individual control of on-screen warriors going far
beyond the traditional limits of unit management.

❖ l listorically accurate .M) battlefields, using satellite data
to .SO stjuare meters, tests tactical and strategic skills.

❖ Seamlessly combines real-time gameplay within a
turn-based, build an empire world.

❖ Choose among 16 historically accurate clans in your
battle to restore freedom to Scotland.

❖ Multiplayer scenarios for up to 8 players on LAN or
internet in both co-op or competitive modes.

eiDOS

[ red lemon

trdlemaiKludlDS } ll'sagdniethingl

Destroying your enemies

ISN'T ENOUGH...

"The elaborate architecture within these 3D
environments is some of the best Next
Qeneration has seen on the PlayStation."

-Next Qeneration

As Raziel, stalk the shadows of
Nosgoth hunting your vampire
brethren. Impale them with
spears. Incinerate thein with
torches. Drown them ih water.
No matter how
them, you must
souls to sustain your qui
the ruin of your creator,

Shift real-time between
and spectral planes

Dark gothic

“...the completely revainped sequel to
Legacy of Kain promises high immersion

PlayStation

-Spin

...You MUST

DEVOUR THEIR SOUES

■ ft:.)’.'

www.computergaming.com/lnfolink

YOUR BEST SOURCE FOR THE HOTTEST GAMES IN DEVELOPMENT

For the Ninth Time, Origin Rewrites the Role-playing Book

Ultima Ascen

by George Jones

U LTIMA ASCENSION begins with a
joit — iiteraily. One evening, the
Avatar (the virtuous hero who
has saved Brittania at ieast eight
times prior to now) dreams of a towering
column of fiery stone rising from the earth,
kiiling an oid farmer in the process.

Knowing that this is a sure sign something
is wrong in his alternate reality, he rises
from his bed. And the game begins.

You don't fiddie with menus or waste
time with text-filied screens. After you install
the game and witness your dream, you get
right out of bed, put on your clothes, amble
out of your bedroom, and jump into the
heart of ULTIMA
ascension's gaming
environment.

most everything in it actually works, from
the alarm clock to the big-screen TV to the
light switches. There's even a bread maker in
the kitchen and a grill in the backyard that
you can use to make steaks.

The backyard also functions as a training
ground of sorts that allows you to practice
combat skills, maneuvering skills, and yes —
jumping skills. Settle down, ULTIMA VIII
veterans; jumping is not a frustrating experi-
ence this time around. Instead of needing
impossibly dexterous arcade-style reflexes,
you jump onto rocks and over rivers in this
game simply by moving your mouse to the
spot you want to jump to and then clicking
the mouse button. Combat is also a snap;
you maneuver the Avatar around with the

The Earth
Moves

The popularity of
the ULTIMA series
comes from the
unique blend of a
highly developed
universe, a well-paced
plotline, and an unpar-
alleled moral complex-
ity that doesn't
emphasize brutality.

For the firet time, how-
ever, ULTIMA

ASCENSION is set in a

3D environment with an over-the-shoulder
perspective. Before you worry that
ASCENSION is some TOMB RAIDER action/
adventure clone, however, ask yourself this:
When was tite last time Lara Croft had to
save the world from eight pillars that are
slicing her world apart like an orange, all
while making sure she walks the proper
moral path?

Also, interactive is more than just a buzz-
word in this game. As you move around the

3D FIT FOR A KING Don't let the smooth 3D fool you — ULTIMA
ASCENSION is anything but an action/adventure game.

mouse or keyboard and press the appropri-
ate key to attack, And the spellcasting is
easier than ever, Once you discover a spell,
you can easily incorporate it into your spell
book by mixing the appropriate reagents for
it a single time.

house after you wake up, you'll find that

Uttima Ascension

GENRE: Role-Playing RELEASE DATE: Q4 '99
DEVELOPER: Richard Garriott/Origin ' ■
PUBLISHER: Electronic Arts

A Radical Departure?

ASCENSION features the traditional ele-
ments that made the ULTIMA series famous.
Character creation, for example, still occurs
with the help of a gypsy fortuneteller,
whom you'll find in the park behind your
house. You answer a series of moral ques-
tions (You encounter a beggar. Do you give
him food or do you just walk on by?) to
determine your game character's attributes
and moral standing.

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE Casting spells is
easier than ever, but ULTIMA purists will
still be able to mix up unique magic
using reagents.

in what some may view as a move to
attract the mainstream masses, the design-
ers are simplifying some of the more stat-
oriented aspects of traditional role-playing
games. Instead of tracking scores in 4,835
different attributes and skill sets, this
ULTIMA is a bit more intuitive: Numbers have
been turned into descriptions with tangible
benefits. As you gain experience, for exam-
ple, you may find yourself becoming a jour-
neyman and gaining an extra attack type.

It's the End of the World

Everything has gone screwy in Brittania.
This once virtuous land has done a moral
about-face. After completing the game's
opening puzzles, we entered Britain, the
capital city, and approached a flock of
citizens listening to the mayor speak. After
pushing our way to the front of the
crowd— and being scolded by an older
woman for kicking dust on her in the
process— we were taken aback to hear the
mayor praising himself for moving the
homeless out of Britain and over to the
swampy city of Paws, Britain, renowned city
of compassion, ousting the unfortunate?
There's something wrong here.

Such chaos is brought to you courtesy of
the Guardian, an evil presence with whom
the Avatar has clashed in two previous
ULTIMAS. Worse, the fiery pillar you dreamed
about is only one of eight each of which is
being pulled through the earth by the gravi-
ty of the moon. The pillars are pulling the
moon out of orbit and into a collision path
with Brittania. Complicating matters even
more, each of the pillars is associated with

.COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNE 1999

I'-Computergaming-com

OPEN WIDE AND SAY "AH" As usual, dungeon-aawling is hazardous to your health;
thankfully, ASCENSION'S one-touch hot-keys can help keep you prepared.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999 , 61 .

www.computergaming.coni

better come up with a
solution that will not
just patch up Brittania's
problems, but teach the
folks there how to help
themselves.

Contrary to anything
you may have heard,
ULTIMA ASCENSION Is
alive and very well,
thanks to some stellar
3D graphics, evolution-
ary gameplay elements
and — finally — the kind
of living, breathing
story-telling environ-
ment gaming has des-
perately needed. Q3I7

one of Brittania’s eight virtues, explaining why
the people of Brittania have become so damn
selfish. Your task, in a nutshell, is to get to the
bottom of the nature of the land's moral
about-face and permanently fix it. You'll travel
the lengths of ASCENSION'S gorgeously ren-
dered world to do so.

Alive and Living

Brittania's living, breathing environment
features lush terrain types that make wan-
dering through the gameworld much like
moving across North America in accelerated
time, Flat plains, hilly forests, and even
snow-capped mountains are all a part of the
landscape, and you'll even witness varying
weather patterns in different regions. We
saw an evening lightning storm (day
becomes night in about two hours of real-
time) in the mountains that left us convinced
that outdoor environments are the best way
to showcase a 3D engine.

As you move about the land, you'll
encounter all manner of Al creatures and char-
acters. You'll even find a love interest. ..of
sorts. At one point during our play session, we
were wandering through a hilly part of the
world, when a thief startled us by sprinting
out of the trees at us in an attempt to knock
us out. And once you get into the dungeons,
well., .let's just say that the underground
monsters are a bit larger down there.

Conversations unfold naturally. To speak to
someone, you approach them and, if they
don't try to knock your head off, you start

chatting. When you have specific questions,
you select from a conversation menu.

The End of an Era?

It's entirely appropriate that ASCENSION will
be released at the end of the millennium,
given its grand scale and creator Richard
Garriott's intentions of tying up all the loose
ends that eight previous ULTIMA games have
created. In ULTIMAS past, the Avatar has bailed
Brittania out of whatever mess the country is
in. But this time around will be different.

As you make the transition between our
world and Brittania, you're told that this will
be your last adventure there. What does this
mean? Richard Gam'ott most definitely isn't
telling {and neither are we). As ASCENSION
unfolds, however, you will start to piece
together answers regarding the very nature of
the Avatar, his relation to Brittania, the signifi-
cance of the eight virtues and three principles,
and the meaning of the various events over
his previous eight adventures. If this is his last
adventure, our hero had

Fight Fans. Fear Not

A scension will have plenty o'
real-time 3D combat WhUe in
combat mode, you'll use the
mouse to orient yourself, the key-
board to move left and right and a
single key to execute an attack. At
first, you'll only have a single move;
as you grow more experienced, you'll
add three other possible moves that
can be accessed by holding down the
Ctrl or Alt keys whUe pressing the
attack button. One nice touch: Each
weapon has its own repertoire of
moves. With an axe your options may
be chop/golf-swing/roxmdhouse/
uppercut, but with a staff you'll be
able to poke/sweep/vault-kick/spin.
Wannabe Evander Holyfields can also
resort to fisticufiis.

Ranged combat is just as easy.
Simply line up your target by moving
the targeting reticle onto it. If the
cursor is yeUow, you can fire away
and be assured of striking the mark.
If the cross-hairs are red, you'll have
to aim a little higher to compensate
for the distance.

One area where ascension won't
deviate too much from the RPG norm
is in the weaponry category. In addi-
tion to run-of-the-mill swords, axes,
and bows, you'll Edso be able to get
your hands on magical weapons.
Flaming swords, magical bows that
do extra damage, and eiU sorts of
unique weaponry lie in wait for the
avid aventurer.

Finally, borrowing a page from
DIABLO, the game interface fea-
tures 12 bandy, combat-friendly
hot-keys that you can assign
weapons, spells, or any items to.
Perfect when you need to summon
a quick lightning storm or your
trusty two-handed sword.

M E A K P R E V I E W S

Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned

Gabriel
Knight 3

ONE SCREEN FOR ALL MANKIND GK3 gives
you a full>saeeii perspective with a free-
flying camera view, a pop-up command
toolbar, and occasional cinematic cut-
scenes within the 3D engine.

by Johnny Wilson

T he Jacobites
might have
thought a bit
differently of
Bonnie Prince Charlie
if they had known the
mystery underlying
GABRIEL KNIGHT 3:
BLOOD OF THE SACRED,
BLOOD OF THE DAMNED
(GIG). Designer Jane
Jensen is no longer
content with drawirrg
us into mysteries that
are tied into voodoo
and werewolves. Now,
she is deftly pulling
together the rumors
and conjecture, the
theories and the
shocking speculation
that surround the most
mesmerizing conspiracy
of all time: the Holy Grail,
GK3 has everything: a kid-
napping, a treasure, a cover-up,
a secret society, a reunion, and
some of Jensen's classic use of the
supernatural. Gabriel, our hero, is still the lugubri-
ous, drawling bookstore owner and novelist by
chance, who has inherited the title of schatten-
jager—a shadow-hunter of the supernatural. He is
still assisted and occasionally accompanied by
Grace Nakimura, and he also runs into his old pal
Mosely, Plus, there's a new supernatural adversary:
the night visitors, Jensen's fresh take on vampires.

GENRE; Adventure
RELEASE DATE: Q2 '99
DEVELOPER; Jane Jensen
PUBLISHER: Sierra

A COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

Like its predecessors, GK3 features terrific puz-
zles and an extremely well written story. It differs
mainly in that you don’t have die graphic novel
effect of the first game (although there is a graph-
ic novel introduction to the game) or the interac-
tive video experience of the second. Now, the
entire environment is 3D, and gameplay is friend-
lier as a result. You no longer have to walk Gabriel
all over the screen in order to get him into posi-
tion to see something. You can fly the camera
independently; then, when you're ready, you dick
on the floor or on an object and Gabe immediate-
ly walks into the picture from off-camera. We also
like the fact that the cursor lights up whenever it
crosses a hot spot, thus doing away with those
annoying "hunt the pixel" puzzles. Another
improvement is that there is no onscreen toolbar
unless you decide to call it up by right-clicking
your mouse. This gives you a full-screen perspec-
tive at all times with a pop-up interface only
when you really need it.

In addition to using a pop-up toolbar, the inter-
face also has the capacity to grow. Want to talk to
the innkeeper? Icons show up for each topic, rem-
iniscent of the interface in another Holy Grail
game, CIRCLE OF BLOOD. Want to attach an item
to a verb for regular use? You handle everything
with an easy dick. The new 3D engine and
improved interface make everything about GK3
easier, except the puzzles themselves.

Another major difference here is that instead of
being divided into chapters (as in the first two
games) GKS is divided into days with several time
blocks within each day. Each time block has sever-
al "must do" actions before you can advance to
the next time block— and each time block has
enough optional actions that it's highly unlikely
that you'll be able to do them all in your first play-
ing of the game.

Glastonbury Heir

The story itself begins with an invitation for
Gabriel and Grace to meet an heir to the Scottish
throne. Grace believes that this is because of
Gabe's position as heir to the venerable Ritter
heritage. Naturally, because of Gabe's heritage,
the schattenjager\rad\t\on comes into play. The
principal characters meet in Paris and, after a sin-
ister series of events, a chase sequence takes
Gabriel to the south of France. There, in Rennes-
le-Chateau, a small village in the Languedoc
region, the mystery begins to be decoded.

Languedoc is a province noted for heresy,

TOPICAL FRUIT Conversations through-
out the game are driven by icons that
reflect dynamically the topics that
Gabriel has uncovered during the course
of his investigation.

www.compufergaming.com

BANNER EAR Gabriel hides behind a banner in order to eavesdrop on a key conversa*
tion. Ambient audio adds depth to GK3. but important audio dues are doseoptioned.

ALTAR EGO As in the "virtual museum" sections of the
first two Gabriel Knight games, you'll be able to scru*
tinize items of interest— such as this altar piece in
Rennes-le-Chateau— at your leisure.

inscriptions are presented in
a 3D virtual museum in
which you can fly the cam-
era and examine anything.

Of course, purists may
not like Jensen's addition of
a hotel to the mysterious
village and her use of a
museum dedicated to
Saunlere as a handy source
of clues. Just remember,
poetic license has been
around at least since the
time of Homer, and the use
of a fictional hotel and a
museum speeds up the pace
considerably over having to
travel around the country-
side for clues.

witchcraft, and a m^terious treasure trove,
reputed to include the Holy Grail— the chal-
ice that Jesus used to serve the wine during
the Last Supper and into which Joseph of
Arimathea collected the blood of Christ while
he was on the cross.

While those of Celtic descent would heed
the Grail legends surrounding Glastonbury,
Rennes-ie-Chateau is a worthy rival with sig-
nificantly more mysteries surrounding it.

It is a place where Mary Magdalene Is
more revered than the Madonna herself. It
is the birthplace of the Cathars and the
Priory of Sion. It is a mysterious place held
holy since ancient times: a place where the
mountainous geography is strangely sym-
metrical, forming a virtual pentacle of
peaks for sacred bonfires and ritual obser-
vation. It is a locale where many believe
that Egypt's Isis cult flourished in the days
before the region's conversion to
Christianity under Clovis I (circa AD 496,
prior to his AD 507 victory over the
Visigoths), it is the ancestral homeland of
the Merovingian lineage, the long-haired
and reputed magical kings of the land that
would eventually become France. In short,
a perfect place for a mystery.

The game re-creates the church at
Rennes-le-Chateau with exacting detail,
much the way GK2 did Mad Ludwig's cas-
tle. The strange devil holding up the holy
water fount, the statue of Mary Magdalene
with a skull at her feet, the extremely
unusual Stations of the Cross, and bizarre

Digital Divination

Fortunately for Grace and Gabriel, they are
not on dteir own in figuring out this mystery.
Since some of the mystery has to do with
strange geometrical clues in paintings and nat-
ural landscapes, they are assisted by SIDNEY, a
computer interface. SIDNEY will not only assist
In following up on basic clues, but will also
provide a rich, searchable database on
Egyptian mythology and the ties to Isis and
Osiris that you are likely to uncover in the
search for the treasure.

Certain items have to be "scanned" into
SIDNEY in order to solve the mystery. Indeed,
you \MII have to superimpose geometrical
shapes over these images in order to reach the
proper conclusion. Naturally, this is no problem
for gamers who are familiar with the literature
concerning Rennes-le-Chateau. Books such as
Henry Lincoln's The Holy Place and David
Woods' Genesis feature diagrams superim-
posed over topographical maps all the time.
Both researchers note that there is both a pen-
tagon and a hexagon construction that overlay
the geographical area.

For those who are into the mystery, placing
points and shapes on a map has a real ring of
truth. For others, this will still be an intriguing
puzzle, since it hinges on one other vexing ele-
ment. Jensen has taken a poem called "Le
Serpent Rouge" and built a series of riddles
around the wordplay in the verses. If you can
figure out the secondary meanings and
obscure references, then you'll have no trouble
solving the geometrical puzzles.

www.compulergaming-com

Once out in the countryside, you'll face a
timing puzzle or two. Think of it as basic sur-
veillance. Indeed, you'll occasionally have to
direct Gabriel to hide and observe in order to
get the clues and answers you'll need to get to
the endgame. This section has a very different
look to it; but in effect the overview map
recalls the New Orleans map in the first game
and the U-bahn map in the second.

All of this sleuthing serves as preliminary to
the scenes in the underground temple, how-
ever. The temple contains puzzles based on
paradoxes, chessboards, and more. Think of
the motif as a mixture of Egyptian mythology,
alchemical symbolism, and Gnostic philosophy.
Nothing is what it appears. Considering the
Arian and Catharite heresies that
flourished in the Languedoc
region, the mixture is perfect for
the mystery.

With all of the conspira
cy, heresy, treasure, and
crime abounding in
GABRIEL KNIGHT 3:

OF THE SACRED, BLOOD OF
THE DAMNED, you could almost
assume that the supernatural ele-
ments so prevalent in the first two
games would be missing. You
would be wrong. Jensen has
weaved a vampire plot into the
game (isn't this logical, given the
emphasis on blood in the Grail
legends?), and you're not likely
to forget the antagonist in the
final showdown. There is
an intriguing supernatural
connection to the kidnapped
baby that initiates the
action.

As with the previous
games, GK3 won't fright-
en you with gore and
nightmarish creatures,
but it will mess with
your mind, in any
game in which Jesus,
conspiracy, magic, and
vampires intermingle,
you'd expect to be more
than a little disconcerted.

As well-crafted as any
of its ancestors and, if
anything, even better
written, GABRIEL
KNIGHT 3: BLOOD OF
THE SACRED, BLOOD
OF THE DAMNED
seems destined
for controversy,
if not preter-
natural
success .

, fils IjEgEnds fOEEtDld, EDir has tEtTOEd,|D ithE land.
v^ :da,rlutidE .of dEatli and.dEstEiiEtoi^tl^jEtSing ouee
U to pjip-poacEful EEalnii. tn’riiing,- brot|id]Binst brsthEr,
ElaniagSinst .clan. giimman uourtoiro^and raisE
uour sttilnd jov a fight,#%:.rt|itth .apro^t a dEinontc
monstEE uijio fEEd^b-girhatEEdfdnd dEspaiE.

Battle as one dnour uni’gue characters.

Conquer malicibd'S hordes and mythical
beasts throughtltundreds of miles of
dangec,oai^lahd|:,*'-;f ' ■ '

■ biihrSyfdf 'dholes, interact
MdrjiEiry,characters.

Sp to d players oyer

'BT Meraethe
Softwara

Strategy First

www.stralegyfirsl.com "

PC CD-ROM

www.gtinleracJive.com

' Sollwnre.

Dreamforge Takes PANZER GENERAL Into Eldar Space— With Attitude

Warhammer
40,000: Rites
of War

by Samuel Baker II

G ames Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 (affectionately known sim-
ply as 40K) has for many years offered a dark, compelling, and
competitive science-fiction universe for board and miniatures
enthusiasts. PC games based on this universe have yet to fully cap-
ture the flavor — or the sales numbers — of the original. Part of the reason for
this has been a failure to re-create the stunning, if sometimes bizarre, graphics
of the tabletop game.

WARHAMMER 40,000: RITES OF WAR (RITES) suffers from no such handicap.
The graphics are delightful: Each unit has its own idle, attack, and death ani-
mations. The effects of weapon fire are appropriately depicted; troops with
heavy flamers, for instance, graphically roast their targets.

But there's more to RITES than just pretty explosions. The game deals in
detail with the trials and constant battles of the Eldar — essentially space elves
with attitude — a once-great race now wandering space in huge starships. As
a lord of the Eldar, you are tasked with recovering a number of artifacts
thought to exist on the fringes of the former Eldar Empire.

RITES steers you through three story arcs of eight scenarios each, featuring
more than 30 different Eldar, 20 Tyranld, and 20 Imperial units that include
Eldar Avatars, Tyranid Hive Tyrants. Imperial Terminators, and Blood
Angels Space Marines. In addition to the full campaign, there are five
multiplayer scenarios and seven for solo play. The single-player scenarios are
split into minicampaigns for the Imperial and Eldar forces. The game comes
with a complete scenario/
campaign editor that
allows full editing of objec-
tives and scripts. If you really
want to play the Tyranid
(think AliensWAh technology),
you can roll your own cam-
paign once you tire of the
canned missions. Any side is
available for multiplayer games

WARHAMMER
Genera!

RITES uses
a simplified ver-
sion of SSI's classic
PANZER GENERAL
engine, with each
unit rated for life,
armor, melee, lead-
ership, ranged-
attack strength, ini-
tiative, range, spot-
ting, and movement.

GENRE: Strategy/Wargame RELEASE DATE: Q2 '99
DEVELOPER: Oteamfoige PUBLISHER: SSI/Mattel

you proceed through the campaign, your units' abilities develop,
adding a nice RPG element. Units don't lose experience when
taking on replacement points — which should lead to looser,
more risk-taking play. Units may also be held in barracks
until needed.

According to producer Sam Clifford, SSI chose the stan-
dard-size Warhammer 40K army sets rather than the Epic
scale used in FINAL LIBERATION (SSI's most recent PC
Warhammei) to make the game more personal. In RITES, the
four arms types — air, infantry, armor, and artillery — all seem
to be well integrated into the design. Eldar infentry, for exam-
ple, can become increasingly specialized, with many different
paths of advancement that aren't open to vehicles, As comman-
der, you choose the aspect of the particular Eldar god you want
your infantry to emulate, giving your troops greater power in one
area but less in others.

You’ll buy units and upgrades by expending glory points, which
work much the way prestige does in PANZER GENERAL, except that
RITES is more forgiving. If a unit is completely eliminated, its expe-
rience is lost, but the points expended on it are returned so that
you may recover from defeat without hitting the reload button.

Even in this early version, the computer opponent does a credible
job on the battlefield. Once contact is made, enemy units advance
quickly to pick out and engage targets, Units don't always fight to the
death, but engagements are typically Warhammer-b\ood^, and every
turn usually involves the elimination of some units, even in the
smaller battles.

Given the talent that's involved here, this seemingly
bizarre marriage of the popular PANZER GENERAL system
and the quirky Warhammer 40K universe could create the
mass-market hit that Games Workshop fans have been
looking for. Better yet, the game should be enjoyable even
for those who don't k now the difference between a Tyranid
and an Ore — or a Zerg. E3!3

CISI5tfel.

<ISI8!I ef &xt.

01 WJ,

uiuitti.inicrnsoft.cDin/^ames/ajc2

/n^ iGamlne

ZONE

Microsoft

Diplomacy

Hasbro Unveils the Crown Jewel of Multiplay Manipulation

by Johnny Wilson

T he Kennedy clan played it
in the White House. It
was Henry Kissinger's
favorite game.

Generations of college students
played it in their dormitory
lounges. Hundreds of fanzines
have carried the results of play-
by-mail games using its system
and hundreds of variants. In fact,
it has been played by email since
the days of Dow Jones' Source and
CompuServe. Russell Sipe, founder
of C6W. began the earliest games
on both information services.

The game, of course, is
Diplomaq'. Its popularity is due to
the fact that there is no luck
involved. There are no random die
roils, no spinners, no
"get coprophagic
and die" cards, and
no random-effect
charts. You get what
you play for. It is a
social game in which
you must negotiate,
compromise, and
improvise, as well as
strategize, in order
to win. If you can
manipulate your
opponents and do unto them before they
can do unto you, you win. If not, you can
get even with them in the next game.

Remembrances
of Games Past

The boardgame is set in pre-World War
I Europe. Each of seven players represents
the head of a country {England, France,
Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy,
and Turkey) during a negotiation phase,
order-writing phase, and execution/resoiu-
tion phase. In other words, you try to get
your friends to do what you want them to
do. Then everyone writes down what they
are acTua//y going to do in secret. Next,
the moves are read and the referee deter-
mines what happens from the orders,
including resolution of any conflict, Each
country tries to capture as many resource
centers as possible, in order to build
enough armies and fleets to ensure that
the player's motherland becomes the last
country standing.

It's always hard to get seven people
together at the same time for several hours
of gamepiay — no matter how social the
game. For that reason, a p!ay-by-mail
approach to D/p/omacy has long been a

GENRE: Strategy RELEASE DATE' Q3 '99
DEVELOPER: Meyer-Glass Interactive
PUBLISHER: Hasbro Interactive

popular option, as has a play-by-emaii ver-
sion. The downside of these games by mail
is that they often take more than a year to
complete. What about the person who
wants to play Diplomacy now!

World War Fun

The original C-64 and PC versions of
DIPLOMACY were failures due to poor
computer opponents and poor graphics.
It was impossible in these computer

games to see what you could easi-
ly see in a face-to-face boardgame:
Who was negotiating with whom.
And if you could get friends over to
hotseat the game in front of the
computer, you were better off play-
ing the boardgame.

In this game, we finally have a
playable computer version of
DIPLOMACY. It features an elaborate
iconic interface that enables you to
negotiate alliances, nonaggression
pacts, and detailed plans for lending
support with other countries. In the
version that we played, it was still
impossible to spell out some of the
complex quid pro quo terms that
you'd be likely to hammer out in a
human game, but the good news is
that you can make simple deals
with the artificial heads of state.

Even better news
is that finally you
can play the multi-
player game on the
Internet with all-
human leaders or
with a mixture of
human and artificial
heads of state — so
you don't have to
round up exactly six
of your buddies for
the best possible
seven-player game. Better yet, you don't
need to have one of the players act as ref-
eree anymore, and you don't have to
worry about other players changing the
orders of their allies as they read them (an
old canard in the face-to-face games). The
program adjudicates each move, and the
orders must be saved before you gel to
the resolution phase.

The bad news is that no artificial head
of state can be as sneaky or conniving as
a human oppo-
nent. Further, the
computer game
doesn't permit you
the joy of concoct-
ing propaganda, as
do the face-to-face
or play-by-mail
and email games.
Still, even though
it's unfinished, this
version of
DIPLOMACY looks
like it could make
you a Kennedy ora
Kissinger (if you
pardon the
anachronism). Rest
assured that CGW
supports Hasbro's
latest assault
on the retail
channel,

NO ALPHABETICAL ORDER In play-by-mail and play-by-email
games, the order phase consisted of alphabet-soup directions
(F-ANK, and so forth). Here, you use the map and tiie iconic
interface to input orders.

.COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

i/.computefgaminK.t

#•

mors info go to www, interotay.com/kp-loc.fitml

IF YOU SURVIVE,
YOU'LL LIKE IT.

TARGET SPECIFIC BODY PARTS AND ACTUALLY SEE
THE DAMAGE DONE -INCLUDING EXIT WOUNDS.

STEAL A BIKE DR HDPATRAIN TD GETARDUND

TALK TD PEDPLE THE WAY YDU WANT...
FRDM SMACK TO CDDL

I mm m :

IfTTnrinnTMl

‘CYPRESS HILL IV"
cy0r«8sonline.com

KINBPIN: Life of Crime: ©1939 Xatrix Entertainment, Inc. Ali rights reserved. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software, Inc. (“Id Technology’’). Id Technology
@1996, 1997, 1998 Id Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Kingpin, Kingpin: Life of Crime, Interplay, the Interplay logo, and “By Gamers For Gamers.’’ are trademarks of Interplay
Productions. Xatrix and the Xatrix logo are trademarks of Xatrix Entertainment. Inc. All rights reserved.

Go to #299 @ www.computergaming.com/lnfolink

The ability to jettison parts is crucial to
METAL fatigue's Strategy. Several weapons,
mostly energy swords and power saws, are built
to be amputating instalments: Equipping a
combot with one of them introduces the possi-
bility of severing an enemy's aan. Should you
do that you can simply drop your old arm, snap
the enemy's arm on, and, presto!, you've got a
whole new combot. Even better, you can then
take the new arm back to your base to research
it so that your forces will be able to produce it
themselves. Besides letting gamers expand their
faction's technology base beyond the 20 or so
technologies they start with, it forces gamers to
fight for upgrades instead of sitting back, min-
ing resources, researching, and building up for a
humdrum game-ending rush. It's a great design
element that should ensure almost constant
engagement and action.

METAL FATIGUE is definitely a title to wat ch
out for when it ships later this year.

HACKING AND SLASHING A Rimtech combot winds
up then chops off the arm of an enemy Milagro
unit Researching such lopped-off limbs wili
encourage and reward gamers for engaging the
enemy instead of buiiding up for dull rushes.

W ho doesn’t love a shiny
new butt-kicking giant
robot armed with missile-
launching legs and a
viciously humming energy sword?
Thundering behemoths with an insa-
tiable appetite for destruction are one
of the cornerstones of our nation, our
judicial system, our very way of life. Oh,
and computer games; there are lots of
them in computer games, too. But
gamers with a thirst for enormous-
robot mayhem have generally had to
limit themselves to just one ambulatory
skyscraper when gaming. That will
change with the fall release of METAL
FATIGUE, a real-time strategy title that
lets you build, command, and design
armies of IS-story bipedal warriors
called combots in a fight to control
mysterious alien technology.

A House Divided, A World
Divided Too

Sent as part of an investigating force to a
distant planet, three brothers help defeat a
drone robot at an ancient alien complex. In pos-
session of a powerful new alien weapon, the
brothers argue and eventually splinter off and
become guiding forces of three separate
CorpoNations. All of this is revealed in an
anime-flavored cut-scene that sets up the
premise of the game. Gamers will play through
METAL FATIGUE as each of the brothers, thus
getting the opportunity to wield the unique
weaponry and technology of each faction.

While most combat will be ground-based,
there will be two additional theatres of war;
subterranean and orbital. Even though the build
that I played was pre-alpha, the sense of scope
and challenge in the game is pretty much
unmatched in
gaming today:

Gamers will
have to be able
to launch base
assaults on
terra firma
while drilling
underground
invasion tunnels
to an enemy
base while
enduring a
withering bar-
rage of bomb-
ing from orbit-
ing enemy platforms. Yikes.

Though every unit will be able to fight on the
ground, only flying units (including flying com-
bots) will be able to access the orbiting theatre
of war, and only tanks and the like will be able
to move in the cramped confines of the under-
ground theatre. To get to and from the subter-
ranean tunnels, you'll have to send your vehi-
cles down via elevators. Elevators can be built
from underground— perfect for launching an
attack smack in the center of an enemy base.
But be warned: Elevators are neutral structures
that can be used by anyone, including enemies.

Even in its early stages, the Interface is up to
handling the task at hand, allowing you to
monitor all three maps onscreen at once and
jump to a hotspot anywhere in the world with a
single mouse click. Once you arrive in a war
zone, you view the action via a mouse-driven
multimetric camera simitar to that of MYTH (the
camera can be whipped above for a more tradi-
tional, top-down view). Unit
commands are accomplished
via standard RTS mouse and
hot-key combinations.

Build the Ultimate
Killing Machine

METAL FATIGUE'S unit mix
will include familiar fare, such
as tanks and jets, but the real
focus (and the key to winning)
will be on the combots. These
earth-shaking warriors will
have technology unique to
each CorpoNation; one race
will rely on stealth and cloaking
technology, while another will just have great
big guns that shoot great big bullets.

Each combot is made of four distinct body
parts: right arm, left arm, torso, and a set of
legs, Combots are built individually by selecting
components and then combining them to
create a working unit. For example, you could
construct a combot with missile-firing legs, a
cloaking torso, a chain-gun arm, and an arm
with a power shield. The mix-and-match nature
of combot construction means that you can
adjust your combot design— and therefore your
strategy — more or less on the fly.

www.computerg.iming.com

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD »rUNE 1999

AND UNLESS YOU REACH THE FINAL BATTLE, IT WILL STAY THAT WAY.

rMN. .

A rival family imposes peril on the
future of your livelihood. The evil
Empire’s presence is looming.
Your only hope for survival is to
join the Rebel Alliance'" in epic
Star Wars conflicts. As full-scale galactic battles begin, you will
be called upon to command Rebel starfighters, including X-wings
and other new spacecraft. You and up to seven other Rebel

ruiinB'

'AiLinncE;

players will clash with Imperial fighters in spectacular 3D
missions. Finally, if you’re worthy, you will find yourself in the
cockpit of the legendary Millennium Falcon, flying against
the massive Imperial fleet in the climactic
Battle of Endor. Ultimately, it will be your
agility, resolve and combat skills in these
maneuvers that will determine your destiny. |

Not to mention, the fate of the entire galaxy.

www.lucasarts.com/products/aHiance •www.starvvars.com

by Robert Coffey

S porting a brand new MLB license, a
3D engine, and improvements in
almost every facet of the game, HIGH
HEAT BASEBALL 2000 (HH2K) is the
baseball title to watch this year. HH2K could be
the first sports game in years to give the EA
Sports dynasty a real run for the money.

Building a Contender

The design team has made a real effort to
address last year's shortcomings, and it
appears to be paying off. The horribly ani-
mated 2D players of last season have been
traded for a roster full of 3D polygonal play-
ers. The animations are much more lifelike,
with believable swings and relief pitchers
who drop down and sidearm the ball.
Incidental animations such as pitchers
throwing up their arms in frustration at a
bad call or batters who stumble across the
plate after lurching out of the way of an
inside fastball give the game a real major-
league feel. Once Team .366 smoothes out
the somewhat jarring transitional player
animations present in the pre-beta version
we played, HH2K could be as good looking
as TRIPLE PLAY.

3DO has wisely shelled out the bucks for a
MLB license, so that gamers will finally be
able to piay with the big boys. A draft has
been added and players will have the ability
to piay seasons of 16, 81, or 162 games.
Regrettably, there currently are no plans to let
you create custom leagues. Why, with the
wild popularity of rotisserie leagues, design-
ers continue to downplay the appeal of a cus-
tom league utility is beyond me, but, hey, I'm
just an enormous fan who knows at least
eight other guys that would love play in a

High Heat
Baseball 2000

Last Year's Promising Rookie Couid Be This Year's Aii-Star

1 -!

custom league. Still, should you decide to run
a league with your buddies, HH2K should
support hotseat, LAN, and Internet play.

Franchise Player

The best news is that the gameplay looks to
be even better than last year, (which, despite its
flaws, played more like real baseball than any
other game). Managerial options have been
expanded, letting wannabe dugout geniuses
guard the lines or set up for the double play,
and a real bullpen has
been implemented so
you'll actually have to
manage your pitchers.
Anyone who played the
first game will also be
glad to hear that game
speed is now
adjustable, letting
you keep CPU-con-
trolled pitchers from

quick pitching you into oblivion.

The statistical model has been beefed up,
keeping track of split stats as well as rating
every player in various batting, fielding, and
pitching abilities. If the game's stat engine
works as promised, gamers should see the real-
istic ebb and flow of major league baseball over
the course of a season, as unhittable pitchers
suffer through occasional rocky starts and
homer-launching sluggers endure cold spells.

The most promising sign thatTeam .366 is
onto something came in one game I played.
Down by four runs with two out in the bottom
of the ninth, I hit what seemed to be a game-
ending grounder when the opposing team
made an error that let the hitter reach first. A
series of singles followed and I won the game.

If HIGH HEAT BASEBALL 2000 can consistently
capture the intangible Bill Buckner quality that
makes baseball baseball, then it could well be
the title that computer baseball fans have been
waiting for. SSJ

RED SKIES AT NIGHT A Strong 3D engine supporting high resolu-
tions and graphic grace notes like tills twilight Texas sky
should push High Heat BASEBAU 2000 to the top of the eye
candy heap.

j Hi^ Heat Baseball 2C

lOO ^ I

GENRE-. Sports RELEASE DATE

nci/ci /^DC0- ^ctrDIIQIIC

:Q2 '99

:ucD. 3t-\n •

UtvcLUrcK. Team .36o rUitLIj

tncK. :)UU

: The Other Boys of Summer

^ TAT Accolade's HARDBALL series stagnates and

m Im # sierra's Front page sports baseball line has

V V been killed, there still will be plenty of competition
ting high resolu- for high heat 2000 this season. A new TRIPLE Flay game
rexas sky again flex EA Sports' considerable muscles in

of the eve another steroid-enhanced arcade version of America's pas-

^ time. Last year's VR baseball showed promise and takes

the field this spring as baseball EDITION 2000, sporting
even better graphics and a revamped, friendlier interfd'ce.
Finally, Microsoft is going after the crowd in the cheap seats with the budget-
priced MICROSOFT baseball. Think of it as the journeyman utility player of
the group — perhaps not the best player on the field, but still able to make the
routine plays and blessed with a nice low contract.

www.compiitergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

WE DIDN’T JUST
CREATE A NEW WORLD,
WE CREATED A NEW
STANDARD.

“ 980 / 0 " (Highest review score ever awarded) -PC Gamer
★ ★★★★ — Computer Gaming World

(5 out of 5)

“Alpha Centauri is unmistakably the rightful heir to the Civilization
throne. It’s also the best strategy game ever made.’’-PC Gamer

“Meier has again set the gold standard for strategy.”-Newsweek

xxxxx — Cnet Gamecenter

(5 out of 5)

“Civilization meets Star Wars.”-DME Magazine

THIS IS THE STRATEGY GAME TO BUY.

Check it out at www.alphacentauri.com

FIRAXIS

ELECT HOW I C AR.TS " sml/ofolhafoouilrles AH rljWstcsirvad.Aiphii Connurl and Flraxw Ssmss ais trsilematfe ol Jnc.

. , ]‘;«..v '

\K
'f

• r* ^tXj^-iIiJI

ommg ^oon
Ifrpm Ifhe Maicer'S O^ Caesarill

V)t\j(w. si e.t:pa^jt.u d 1 o Sj, CO m
Vi! w.vsi, imppessio f\»,gajrric&,co m

01999 Siam On-Use loo. AU Ri^te fi»ervc<l Sierra, SumStedlos, Phaxaoh, Cssaar and luipieauoiu! an tnulciaaria of SlcaaOs-Uneloc.

R.ule ~|”lne (\|iie.
Live pbrever.

The Richest of Real-time Strat Games Gets Richer

Seven
Kingdoms II

by Terry Coleman

T revor Chan is one designer
who can never be accused of
insulting the intelligence of his
fans. Booting up Chan's
CAPITALISM, for instance, is as close to a
crash course in high-end cutthroat eco-
nomics as you're likely to get this side
of Han/ard Business School. But if you
aren't careful, dealing with anything
near that kind of depth in a typical real-
time strategy game can quickly have
you longing for the comparatively mod-
est tech tree of AGE OF EMPIRES.

With that in mind, we thought it was
time to take another look at Chan’s
upcoming SEVEN KINGDOMS il. My main
concerns have always been that the
look of SEVEN KINGDOMS II might have trouble competing with more graphically delec-
table fare like STARCRAF, and that the interface wouldn't sufficiently help you keep track
of the wide range of activities you can perform.

Fryhtan Dreams

Well, In the latest build from 1-Magic, the interface is cleaner, the crisp new buildings
tower over the landscape, and you can actually tell a Mongol soldier from a Viking. The
Fryhtans, those pseudomythicai beings bom from the darker warlike recesses of Chan's
fertile mind, have an even greater role here
than in the original game. Not only do they
sport more arcane technology and new magic
spells but you can also play the Fryhtan
Empire, driving puny humans before you.

The variety of scenarios and campaigns is
staggering, and Chan is trying to pull off a
random campaign generator that could be the
most dynamic we've seen. There are four new
human civilizations — Carthaginian, Roman,
Indian, and Celtic— -with a number of new
abilities: ninjas for Japan, Druid Magic for
Celts, and the like, Heroes make their firat
appearance as well, though these don't seem to overwhelm play in the manner of
MASTER OF MAGIC Having Hannibal, Genghis Khan, and Richard the Lionhearted com-
bine forces to drive out the Fryhtan menace may not be historical, but it's a total kick —
and it requires that you master the arts of diplomacy as well as combat,

Like its predecessor, SEVEN KINGDOMS 11 is more sophisticated, and thus more difficult,
than the usual real-time clickfest, in addition to new battlefield tactics such as forma-
tions, there are a number of new research paths in the rich technology tree. I particularly
liked using espionage, and the enhanced military tech available realty enhances game-
play— though I'm not yet sold on the advanced
axe-throwing ability of the Vikings, especially
when facing the Fryhtan antihero Bregma,

Master of Insects.

All in all, I found plenty to enjoy here. Amid
the overcrowded real-time strategy field, SEVEN
KINGDOMS II has its own identity, depth to spare,
and maybe even graphics that are polishe d
enough to convince the skeptical, S32

GENRE: Strategy
RELEASE DATE: Q3 '99
DEVELOPER: Enlight Software
PUBUSHER: interactive Magic

WAR IS A MANY-TENTACLEDTHING

SEVEN KINGDOMS II revels In the
differences between historical and
neo-mythic Here, Fryhtan hordes
become the Carthaginians' ulti-
mate nightmare.

WAR

ISN'T

HELL...

IT'S

ARMY MEN II'

wareasm"
C«ScC: RED AL-ERT"
TOTAL

annihilation'
WARCRAFT II"
OVER MORE

HIT THE FRONT
LINES AT

WWW.HEAT.NET

O 1999 Se«aSon Ntt*9cM. Inc ISA: i«l MEAT.Ntr a;(
U3i]«<ntfk$ ol SsgaSsd htlncrtu. M An nscntd
M Memarkt n M [Npsv It*: incKbin «><m

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

Go To #060 @ www.computergaming.com/lnfollnk

Real Virtuality../”

Premiering Spring '99

Go to #117 @ www.computergamlng.com/infolink

I NFOCRAMES

£<1839

Enienait

by Marc Dultz

L ast year, THE OPERATIONAL ART OF WAR
ably modeled modern combat at the
often nebulous operational command
level. For 1999, the award-winning turn-
based wargame system moves several steps
further, now portraying conventional warfare
from the climactic days of 1956 to the close of
the millennium.

Anywhere New to Fight?

THE OPERATIONAL ART OF WAR II (TOAW II)

I will reportedly cover many of the principal
military engagements waged during this tur-
I bulent time frame, including America's ill-
i fated involvement in the Vietnam War, three
I Arab-lsraeli wars, the protracted iran-lraq con-
I flict, and Operation Desert Storm. What's
; more, TOAW II will depict several hypothetical,
"what if" scenarios, including a 1962 invasion
■ of Cuba by the United States, a supposed
1 Sino-Soviet conflagration in the late 1 960s,

I several different NATO-versus-Warsaw Pact
showdowns in Europe, a second Korean con-
flict (circa 1 999), resumption of hostilities
between India and Pakistan, and even an
invasion of Taiwan by Communist China.

As in TOAW, the units and maps in TOAW II
will vary in scope and scale, with units rang-
ing in size from individual companies to entire I
corps, and hexes measuring anywhere from
2.5km to 50km across. In addition to a simpli-
fied (and welcome) play option that will
enable players to issue default orders to their
units, TOAW II will contain a much more
detailed treatment of nuclear, biological, and
chemical (NBC) weapons, including the incor-
poration of certain triggering events that may
escalate their usage.

Anything New to Blow Up?

Beyond some subtle graphical improvements,
the game will feature new rules that will give
gamers much more control over the employ-
ment of their artillery forces. In addition, TOAW
II will more realistically porU'ay the military
concept known as command, control, and
communications (C3) by introducing command,
support, and civilian groups to each side's mili-
tary hierarchy. While these specialized personnel I
will attend to various supply and maintenance
functions for each combat unit, there may be
instances when the unit in question will be par-
alyzed for a turn or two if its staffers are killed
In battle. And although the unit may still be
operating at 100 percent readiness, it may not
be able to resume norma! military operations
until its cadre of specialized personnel has been
totally re-formed.

Loads of new units and equipment will be
featured, too, such as attack and transport
helicopters, man-portable antitank and antiair
weaponry, surface-to-air (SAM) missiles, mobile

The Operational Art of War II

GENRE^Uategy^rgam^ELEAS^DME^^S^
DEVELOPER; Norm Koger
PUBLISHER: TalonSofVTake 2

I artillery batteries, and jet aircraft. While the
I equipment database will reportedly be twice
I that of TOAW, all of the weapons capabilities
I have been completely recalculated, taking into
I account the effect of high-explosive antitank
I (HEAT) rounds versus kinetic armament and dif-
I ferent grades of armor, from laminate and com-
I posite shielding to steel outer coverings and
I reactive cells. Moreover, TOAW II will utilize an
I ail-new antiarmor combat resolution system
I that is based upon a
I single shot-single hit
I algorithm rather than
I on the massed-fire
I methodology employed
I in TOAW.

Civil and military
I police detachments
I will actually play a
I vital role in the game,

I reducing a unit's
I movement cost when-
I ever it attempts to
I pass through densely
I populated areas such
I as towns and villages
I or along roads choked
I with refugees. Several
I types of transport heli-
I copters will also be
I modeled, based upon
I their airmobile lift
I capacity (1 ton, 3 tons,

I or 8 tons) and sub-
I jected to certain lift
I radius restrictions. In
I fact, each ground unit
I will now be rated
I according to its trans-
I port weight (measured
I in metric tons), with

I some units, such as armored forces, requiring
] heavy-lift transport helicopters to move from
I one area to another.

I What About That Editor?

The scenario editor is being streamlined as
I well and will boast a variety of new editing tools I
I and other player-requested features. Finally,

I many of the scenarios being designed for TOAW
I II will feature specially designated exclusion
zones that will
temporarily pre-
vent gamers from
moving their forces I
into or out of the
region. Although
gamers will be
able to examine
friendly units with-
in an exclusion
zone, they won't
be able to move
them until an
external event trig-
gers their release.

While TOAW I!
may look and feel
remarkably similar
to its award-
winning predeces-
sor, the mechanics
of play have been
refined, and now
more than ever the |
game provides
players with a
poignant and
ingenious look at
the vagaries of
modern-day
combat, 23U

HMfiJMWI

jllifJifSIffl

k •

- e*

Duii^ebns&Dra^ons

PLANi^SOAHE rOllMENT & DESIGN: 0109 $ Intftrplav Produciracu. All Pioltls Posorved Siowam Intiriitv Enritim ft'llODH Uiinniri) Coin

Pi>rlici)!)yd9IIH ISfl. Int roinkonT, PJ.iiiO' Aland. Ihd Plnpaaoniii' i

dviiiiC'iii Danueons tt Diaaonii, iiui

Ay H.mii'ie Koi G.iin<<t» ' ;ir(i UiiaoniArks fit Inicipiav EdtSKainmcni Caiu. All Pialits HcsoivcO. Dcowaiu Inlinilv Eiininu mid llw liinW.icn

ld;fc> <iiiT IriidiKiiiirkrt al HAiwiyn All riii|hla Pin>nrvci(l Windi

find tiM> Oljdt Isle SiiJiiioa kAjn. i
j ar"l Wii'd(ryyiy£99 310 icQailoioO

The Next Epic RPG from Black Isle Studios, the Producers of Baldur’s Gate™ and Fallout™2

,/ I

■r 'I'

^eadlaiT^^^^n existence,
Ivaterine^^^^mces across
i Pain, .nie^eQ^Mia ruler of
the is a place where the word is mightier thSl^he sword, where thouglw defines
realit)^\vhere belief has the power to reshape worlds and change the laws of physics.

Welcome to Sigil, the "City of Doors," a place with g,
provided you have the proper key: it is a neutral groul
the multiverse, all under the watchful shadow of thi

"Character creation is just the beginning - throughout the
game your character adapts to fit your own personal
gaming style.

/ A- Jr

-^4

experienced before, Riled with sharp-edged visuals,
bizarre adversaries, and strange magics.

Encounter inventory items with personalities. Manage an
unpredictable party of the strangest allies to walk the
faces of alternate planes.

You can regenerate, speak with the dead, and have
magical immunities. You’re a power to be RECKONED
with. Unfortunately, so is everyone else.

Go to #261 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

ACE OF EMPIRES

These codes also work in RISE OF ROME
so we Ihoiight Ihey were worth reprintitio.
As above, just type these cedes In the
chat window.

diediedie All units die: you win
resign You resign

reveal map Reveals entire game map
pepperoni pizza Gives 1000 food
coinage Gives 1000 gold
Woodstock Gives 1000 wood
quarry Gives 1000 stone
no fog Removes fog-of-war
hari kari Commit suicide; you lose
medusa Villagers become medusas
(When medusas die they become black
riders; when black riders die, they
became heavy catapults.)
gaia Lets you control the animals, but
you have to give up control of your
human units; good when used with king
arthur and grantlinkspence in
RISE OF ROME

flying dutchman Changes jugger-
nauts into flying dutchmen that can soar
over the land

steroids Gives instant building ability
(which woars off over lime)
home run You win
kilIX eliminates player in starting
posilioM X

bigdaddy Gives you a black Chevy
Camaro with rocket launcher
big momma Gives you a white Chevy
Camaro with rocket launcher

AGE OF EMPIRES:

RISE OF ROME

Just bring up the chat window by press-
ing Enter, type the code, and press
Enter again to activate,
king arthur Changes birds into
dragons (999 hit points)
grantlinkspence Turns animals into
Animal Kings

pow Gives you a new unit called
BabyPrez, a baby on a tricycle with a
blunderbuss (SOD HP, 50 strength, 10
armor, 15 range)

convert this! Gives you Saint Francis,
a superpriesl unit (25 HP. 200 strength, 0
armor, 10 range)

stormbilly Gives you Zug 209. a mech
(100 HP, 20 strength, 10 armor, 15 range)
photon man Gives a space-age marine
jackbenimble Uses villagers as ammo
for catapults

BALDUR’S GATE

Open the Baldur.ini file in your Baldiir'S
GATE directory and add the line
Cbeats=1 undor the "Game Options"
entry. Then save the file and run the
game. Once you arc in the game, hit
Ctrl-Tab to bring up the console in
which yon type the cheats. Ctrl-Tab will
also close this console. Type the cheats
exactly as they appear below and hit
Enter to activate.

Cheats;TheGreatGonzo[)Summuns

10 psycho chickens who defend you
Cheats:FirstAid() Gives you 5 heal-
ing potions, 5 neutralize poison potions,
and 1 slone-to-flesh scroll
Cheats:Midas() Gives you 500 gold
Cheats:CawKill(] Creates a CowKill
spell if cows are nearby
Cheats:DrizztAttacks(] Creates a
hostile Drizzt

• Ever wonder about the
black outline around a

resource in the base display? it's a signal that
you haven't discovered the requisite techno-
logy to maximize that resource. The technol-
ogies are: Gene Splicing to maximize
Nutrients: Economic Engineering lo maximize
Minerals: and Environmental Economics to
maximize Energy

• If you aren't getting the full benefit of sea
improvements, just raise the sea level in that
square.

• Though it's easy to miss, you can build
aircraft carriers in ALPHA CENTAURI. Flight
decks aren't a module but an ability, like deep
radar. Once you have the required tech, put a

transport module on a ship and click on
Abilities. You can even make submersible
aircraft carriers if you like.

• You can't build a borehole next to one that
already exists. But you can build at/ the bore-
holes you want next to each other /^you start
them at the same time.

• If you select a unit and it hasn't moved this
turn, you can hit Ctrl-U to upgrade. This is the
only way to upgrade any designs with Unity in
the name.

• Go to the design screen and find a unit you
want to upgrade. Click on it to put that unit in
the main window. Click on Upgrade. You'll be
presented with a choice of units to upgrade to.
Choose one and click OK. This will upgrade

W hen most people think of cheating, they picture themselves looking
across a poker tahle at a loaded derringer. Well, this ain’t poker,
friends. It’s your game, you bought it, and you can do whatever you
want with it. Cheat codes and Easter eggs can get you through a tough spot,
grant access to a secret level, provide a peek behind the curtain, or give Insight
into a programmer’s twisted mind. We’ve sitted through all the junk out there
and given you 501 cheats that actually work. Just keep In mind that we’re not
responsible if you use them in a multiplayer game and get yourself shot.

AS{ or EMPIRES: RISE OF ROME AGE OF EMPIRES ALPHA SEHTAUR! BAIDUR'S GATE BAIHEZONE I
THE CHOSEN CAESAR IH CARMAGEODON 2 CARHiUORES CiyiLimiON: CALL TO POWER I
BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY FIFA 99 BGHTER SQUADRON; SOREAMIN' DEMONS OUER EUROPE FORSAKEN
G-POUCE HALF LIFE HERETIG 2 INCOMING INOEPENDENGE WAP. JANE’S WWII FIGHTERS KING'S QUEST;
MASK OF ETERNITY MICROSOFT COMBAT FUGHT SIM MYTH II; SOUIBLIGHTER NEED FOR SPEED III NHL
'99 POPULOUS QUAKE II REDGUARD RAILROAD TYCOON 2 RAINBOW 6 STAR WARS; ROGUE SQUADRON
SHOGO SIMCITY 3000 SIN SPECOPS; RANGER TEAM BRAtIO STARCRAFT; BROOD WAR THIEF; THE DARK
PROJECT TRESPASSER TOMB RAIDER Hi TUROK 2 WHEAL VIPER RACING K~COM INTERCEPTOR

Cheats:DrizztDefends(] Creates a
Iriendly DrizzL

CheatsiCriticailtemsO Gives you
all important items

CheatsiHansn Moves your party to
a free adjacent area

CheatsrExploreAreaQ Marks entire
area explored

BanLEZONE

Hold down the Shift and Ctrl keys and
type In one of the following:
bzbody LInlimUed shields
bzfree Unlimited pilots and rosources
bzradar Full map
bztnt Unlimited ammo

BLOOD 2: THE CHOSEN

To enter these cheats, just type them in

the chat window (press T, then type the
cheat, then hit Enter).

Mpgod God mode

mpkfa Gives you a variety of weapons
mpbeansofcoolness Gives another
variety of weapons
mpamino Gives you full ammo
mpelip No clip mode £

mphealthy Gives you full health
mpvuhereami Shows your coordinate:
mphideme Hides your coordinates
mpbeefcake Makes your weapons
more powerful

mpkillemall Kills all the bad guys oi
the level

mpspeedup Increases your speed
mpstrongar Increases your strength
mpcaleb Changes your character
model to Caleb

every unit of one type to another whether they've moved or not. You
have to have a design the program considers superior before this
will work.

• When recruiting mind worms It pays to be outside your borders.
Any units that are found/captured beyond the colored border of your
faction are independent and don't need support from any city.

• If you're tired of fighting indigenous life-forms, activate the
Scenario Editor (under Scenario on the menu window). Go to
Scenario Rules and click on the top box to turn off the planet. Save
the game as a scenario. Deactivate the Scenario Editor. Then start a
new scenario, making sure to load the scenario you just created.

• Once you have a selection of base facilities it can be tedious to
take over or start a new base. To minimize tedium, find (or make) a
production queue that you like (including the item currently being
produced) and right-click on the queue area, Choose Save, then
pick a slot and give it a name. Next time you take or build a base,
right-click on the production queue and load the file you created.
Close the production screen and close the base screen. Admire
your work.

• There are more choices on the base governor's list then are readily
apparent. If you click on the down-arrows on either side of the gover-
nor button, you get a list that lets you tailor the governor settings to
your liking.

CIUIUZATION: GALL TO POWER

The following cheats are accessible from the interface:

A. On the Command Line bar. there is a button called Cheat.

B. To access the button, hit the tilde (~) key. then
the space bar. Click the Cheat button.
“GHEATS";’ ) C. Cheats can be used with fog-of-war on. but

I ' ; / V , they are more easily used with fog toggled off.

D. The main map and game are disabled while
cheat mode is on. To resume playing, close the Cheat tools.

E. Cheats will destablize network multiplayer games.

• To activate the City cheat, click on the City button. Select a
city. To change the name of the selected city, click on the text
box with the city name displayed. Edit the text so that the
name reads as you would like it. Hit the Enter key when you
are finished editing.

• To change the population
of the selected city, click on
j wilh the popu-

^ ^ j lation displayed. Edit the

, • il ^ ^7 L-. V .,-1 text so that the number is

, •v- i'-® — ] the population size you

*■ would like. Hit Enter when

it'j ^ f ' you are finished editing.

^^17 Advances Cheat

' L — Click on the Advances but-

ton. Select the player to
whom you would like to

j CHEAlTS give advances; player 2 is

the Human player: players

After starting a game. 1 . 3. and so forth are Al

press Ctrl-K to access the players,

ir Map Editor and Scenario • From the "All

. . Advancements list, high-

i light the advance or

Y Reveal map advances you would like to

Shift-FI Create unit give to the selected player.

' Shift-F2 Technological then click the < [less than]

" discovery

. "To take advances away

Shifl-F3 Switch from a player, highlight the

a sides/set view : advance or advances from

Shift-F4 Change/set the list of "Current

energy credits Advancements." then just

Shlft-F5 Change year click on the > Imore than)

Shift-F6 Kill opponent (Note that the arrows aren't

Shift-F7 View replay aligned correctly, so click

Shift-F8 View movies the upper-left comer on the

' Shift-F9 Edit faction > key. and the upper-right

diolomacv corner on the < key.)

After starting a game,
press Ctrl-K to access the
Map Editor and Scenario
Commands;

Reveal map

Shift-FI

Create unit

Shift-F2

Technological

discovery

Shifl-F3

Switch

sides/set view

Shift-F4

Change/set
energy credits

Shift-F5

Change year

Shift-F6

Kill opponent

Shift-F7

View replay

Shift-F8

View movies

Shift-F9

Edit faction
diplomacy

www.aimfsrt:L(gaj7ilng.E{

501 CHEATS /_ empires • AOE: rise of home • alpha CENTAURI • BALDUR'S gate • BLOOD 2 • CIV: CALL TO POWER

HI CARMAGEQDON 2 • CARNIVORES W COMNIANDO^BEYOND TK CALL OF DUTYj

HALF-LIFE

To gain access to the cheats
in HALF-LIFE, the first thing
. you have to
do is acti-
vate the
console.

First, create a
shortcut to the game, if you
haven't already. Right-click
on it and select properties.
In the shortcut properties
:• you can modify the shorl-
cut's target. It should look
^like . / V

s depending on where you
I installed it. of course. Just
add • - : to the end. So
the example would then
look like:

(The

mpophelia Changes yonr character
iiiQtlel to Ophelia

mpishmael Changes your character
mcilel to Ishmael

mpgabby Changes yonr character
model to Gahriella

mpberetta Gives you the
Berctta: type twice for John
Woo-style

mpsubmachinegun Gives you the
submachine gun; type twice for two
mpflaregun Gives yon the flare gun;
typo twice for two

mpshotgun Gives you the sawed-off
shotgun: type twice for two
mpsniperrifle Gives you the sniper
rifle

mphowitzer Gives you Ihc howitzer
inpnapalmcannon Gives you the
napalm cannon

nipsingularity Gives yon the singu-
larity generator

mpminigun Gives you Ihc minigun

mpassaultrifte Gives you the assault
rifle

mpbugbuster Gives you thu
Bughuster

mplaserrifle Gives you the Cohalco
laser rifle

mpteslacannon Gives you the Tesla
cannon

mpuQodoo Gives yon Hie voodoo doll
mptheorb Gives yon the orti
ntpgoshopping Gives all items
mpnicenurse Adds 25 to your health
mpreallynicenurse Adds 300 to
your health

mpward Gives ward that adds 25 to
your armor

mpneweroward Gives newcrowarcl
that adds 100 to your armor
mpearbonfiber Gives willpower
power-up

mptakeoffshoes Makes you invisible
mpherkermur Gives triple damage

again or yon will have problems! Give the
same amount as before. Press the Give
hiitlon again, and your account will go
into the negative. Now you have unlimit-
ed credit! Repeat as necessary.

CARMAGEDDON 2

TILTY Pinball mode
WATERSPORT Drive underwater
LEMMINGIZE Stupid pedestrians
STIFFSPASMS Mutant coriises
WOTATWATAMI Slippery tires
SMARTBASTARD Skip race
MRMAINWARING Pedestrians freak
out

BIGDANGLE Mutant tail thing
WETWET Credit honiis
TINGTING Free repairs
STOPSNATCK Toggles the timer on
and off

MQONINGMINNIE Decreases Ihc
force of gravity

CLINTONCOHot rod

TO CHANGE CAMERA MODE OR MOTION

Switches you to third-person mode
Switches you back to normal
Mouse moves the camera in

third-person mode

Turns camera control back to nor-

Activates chase mode in third person

rCOMKrrgR ^QRU3:« JUNE 1999 -

www.coinpi!ti;r5jming.com

I' space after
the ; : is
■ important).

V Now when
you start a
•] game from
this shortcut,
you can
press the
tilde (~) key
to access the
console. For
some of the
' cheats to
••• work, it is
first neces-
sary to type

; - to activate
cheat mode. To turn off the
first three cheats listed,
simply retype them. To
deactivate all other cheats,

' you must quit and restart
I the game.

God mode
Fly. no clipping
Makes you
invisible to
enemies

: (where • is from the
following lisl) Gives the
corresponding item (For

; gives

you the crossbow. Don't for-
get the space and the
underscore.)

CAESAR HI

Right-click on a water well, type Alt-K,
fallowed by;

Alt-V Instant victory

Alt-C More cash (if you have less than

SODQOn)

Whan you can go into the Senate the
following procedure can got you sonic
serious cash: Click the Emperor icon in
the Senate. Give yourself a wage of 500
denarii. When yon accumulate about
3000, go back to the Senate and press
the Give to City button. Click the All
button in the dialog. Then press the
Give button. Press the Give to City
button again. Do not
press the All button

FASTBAST Turbo pods
STICKYTYRESWall climber
GOODHEAD Pedestrians get weird
heads

EUENINGQCCIFER D.U.I.
TIMMYTITTY Gives you a lime honus
ZAZAZ Pedestrian annihilatoi
POWPOW Opponent rcpiilsificator
FRYFRY Gives pedestrian llamelhrower

CARNIVORES

Type debugon while playiiui lo enable
debug mode (your binoculars will come
on while you type, bid don't worry). In
this mode dinosaurs will ignore yonr
presence until you shoot. Plus, you’ll
have unlimited ammo, and lava docs not

is the default, if you set it to
like walking on the moon.

kill you. In debug mode, you can also
use the tallowing cheats:

Ctrl Makes you run rea//yfast
Shift-S Switches on/off slow mode
Shitt-T Swilches on/off timer indicating
polygons per Frame and time used to
render this Irame (in milliseconds)

COMMANDOS: BEYOND THE
CAUL OF DUTY

These codes are for the
English version only;

Type GDNZai982 during the game.
Then you can activate the following
cheats:

Shift-V Invisible to enemy
Shitt'X Teletransport (use the mouse to
place your commando)

Ctrl-I Invincibility
Ctrl-Shift-N Finish the mission

RFA 99

■ To get the Winter introduction, type
win repeatedly while game is loading.

* If you are close to goal and there are
no teammates to pass to, you can lap
the pass button to side-foot a shot into
the corner of the net.

* If you are close to goal and there are
no teammates to pass to, you can tap
the fob button to attempt a chip shot.

* You can fake out defenders who are
waiting for you to chest a ball by holding
either skill mode key while the ball is in
the air. At Ihe last second your player
will duck out of the way and let the ball
go by.

* You can pull off some spectacular vol-
ley moves by double tapping tbe shoot

Deactivates

chase mode

REALISTIC GUNNERY:

You can only take so many
bullets in real life. To make
combat with the marines
more interesting, you can
make the mp5 more power-
ful. You can set the numbers
for whatever you want, hut I
tested the following, and it is
pretty realistic and balanced.
The first three are for you,
Ihe player; the second three
are for the marines:

In case you're curious, you
can modify all the weapons
in a similar fashion. There
are too many variables to
print here, so look for a
complete rundown in a
future CGTtps.

button. Volleys are more likely to
score but require more time and space.

' If you Face your player away from the
net and double tap the shoot button, he
will attempt a bicycle kick.

• To execute a 3G0-degree spin move,
just hold down a skill move button and
press shoot (or just double tap a skill
move button). This leaves you wide-open
for a vicious slide tackle, so be careful.

* As a last resort against players who
have an obvious chance on net, press LI
and your player will foul the opponent,
often in a spectacular fashion.

FIGHTER SQUADRON:
SCREAMIN’ DEMONS
OVER EUROPE

Go into the sdDmoiis.ini file and make
the following change: ShockRadiossl
This enables the few cheats that are
available. Once this cheat Is enabled,
onter the sim and open up a chat line
(with ~) and then type the following:
FS_LaokAtTheSillyMankey
Blows up everyone's plane but yours
FS_HaueACow Drops a cow out of
everyone's plane

FS_Decompose Causes everyone
else's planes to break apart
(Note that the above cheats will not
work in single or multiplayer games
unless yon have already entered the
ShockRadiosl cheat.)

Other .ini file changes:
EnableCalibrate=1 Will turn on the
calibrate button in tbe Options screen.
DisplayCaardssI Will display your
current FS coordinates in the overlay
map (in Ihe upper-right-hand comer of
Ihe screen). This will aid you in object
placement when building missions or
new terrain.

PutSlew8ehlndUehlcle=1 Will
cause you to be placed behind the vehi-
cle you just left by hitting S.
TextureCacheLfmit=x Where x is
a number (in bytes) for the maximum
size of the on-disk texture cache (.tex
file). If cache grows greater than this
number, it will bo cleared. The default
is SOOMB.

TextureCacheSize=x Where x is a
number (in bytes) for the maximum size
of the in-memory texture cache. The
default value is 1DMB. Setting this cache
to a higher number may improve game
performance on machines that have
memory to spare.

NetMaxPlayers=x Where x is the
maximum number of players allowed in a
network game (only Ihe server machine
needs to have this set). This number may
not be greater than 28 and has only been
thoroughly tested with B players.

FORSAKEN

Type the following codes at any menu. To
turn them off, just type them again.
BUBBLES Turns on cheat mode

CHEATS

HERETIC 2

To activate cheats, first access the console by pressing the tilde (-]
key then type in the codes as written.

playbetter
twoweeks
meatwagon
victor

angermonsters

crazymonsters

kiwi

showcoords

Toggles god mode

Toggles power-ups

Kill all mosters (except for the boss)

Kill all monsters (including boss)

All monsters get angry
All monsters go crazy
No-clip mode

weapprev

weapnext

suckitdown chicken

suckitdown all
suckitdown health
suckitdown mana

suckitdown armor

Gives you all (useful) items
Gives you maximum health
Gives you maximum offensive and defen-
sive mana

Gives you silver armor: type again to get
gold armor

suckitdown powerup Gives you a Tome of Power power-up

spawn item_weapon_hell5taff Gives you the Hellstaff weapon
To spawn the desired item just type in spawn X where X is from the

following list:
item_weapon_fi rewall
item_weapon_maceballs
ilem_weapon_magicmissile
ilem_weapon_phoenixbow
ilem_weapon_redrain_bow
item_weapon_sphereofannihilation
ilem_defensB_melBorbarrier
ilem_defense_polymorph
ilem_defense_powerup

lAMZEUS God mode
FULLMONTY Level seloct
LUMBERJACK Missile toggle
IIMBEAM Loser beom toggle

G-POUCE

Enter these cheats at the main menu.
STATTOE In-game info
WOOWOO Havoc sirens
SUPACAM Swilches to enemy cam,
when you shoot them down
BENIHILL Benny Hill cars
PANTALON All secret missions (in
Training Menu)

OOOBIES Gives you Infinite shields
MRTICKY Gives you infinite weapons
(Note: You won't be able to progress
past the current mission when these last
two codes are enabled.)

Here are the passwords for every level.
DOLMAN Level 2

SONAGAV Level 3

ACEDUF Level 4

JOJOGUN Levels

WENSKI Level 6

ilem_defense_ringofrepul-

sion

ilem_defense_shield

ilem_defense_leleporl

il6m_health_full

ilem_heaUh_hatf

ilem_mana_combo_half

item_mana_combo_quarter

ilem_mana_defensive_fuU

item_mana_defensive_half

item_mana_offensive_full

item_mana_offensive_half

item_puzzle_canyonkey

item_puzzle_cloudkey

ilem_puzzle_cog

item_puzzle_crystal

item_puzzle_dungeonkey

item_puzzle_high-

priestesskey

item_puzzle_high-

priestesssymbol

item_puzzle_hive2amulet

ilem_puzzle_hive2g6m

ilem_pu 2 zle_hive 2 spear

item_puz 2 le_minecartwhee[

item_puzzle_ore

item_puzzle_plazacontainer

ilem_puzzle_potion

ilem_pu 22 le_refinedore

ilem_puzzle_shield

item_puzzle_slumcontainer

ilem_puzzleJavBrnkey

ilem_puzzle_tome

item_pu 2 zle_townkey

KIKG’S OUEST;
MASK OF
ETERMITY

Press Shift-Ctrl-7 to get
access to the console. You
can conveniently ignore the
password prompt, After typ-
ing in the desired codes, hit
Shift-Ctrl-7 again to return to
the game.

noConCoUide Turns off clip-
ping mode

conColtide Turns clipping
mode back on
setFirstPerson First-person
mode

setThirdPerson Third-person
mode
god/ungod
Toggles god mode
on and off (some
things still can kill [

you but not many) |

If you hold down the Shift key
while selecting “New Game" at
the main menu, you will gain
access to all the non-
secret missions. ^ tv

Hidden

Griffin

Bungle had
been working
on a griffin
unit, but

There is one lonely
griffin left however, and

he lives In a tree on Level 19
(Relic). Just find the shard in
the northeast, and just at the
edge of the map there is a
-v. big tree on the hill.

Rotate your camera
\ so that it points
I » south and

' I Zoom In until

j your camera is
^ / in the tree
“ . / trunk, and you’ll

see the griffin.

' (Too bad you can't
control him.)

Long-Awaited Drinking
Party

To access this hilarious secret
level, start a game on the third i
level. The mission calls for you lol
escort a peasant into a friendly I

SAEGGY

MAZMAN

DAZMAN

DELUCS

ANDOaOO

K1MBCHS
ANDYMAC
YERMAN
OLLIEB
THEYOLK
TONYMASH
ANDYCROW
BIONIC
TSLATER
lAINTHOD
JONRITZ
CLAIREC
STEUEBOT
ANGUSF
EUANLAC
EDFIRE
STUBOMB
THONBOY
JIMMAC
PUGGER
ROSSCO
CAKEBOY
NIKNAK
SAGLORD

INCOMING

Just hit the fallowing function keys to
get these cheats:

Left Shift-backspace

View the most recent movie
Lett Shift-w Win the mission

Makes hitting targets easier
Makes player invulnerable
F4 Gives infinite lives
F5 Gives infinite weapons
F6 Gives a smart bomb
F7 Quit
F8 Quick save
F9 Reloads quick save
F10 Shows the frame rate (hit again
to titm ofO

FI 1 Restart the level

lANE'S WWIt nCHTEHS

(A Exclusive Cheat)

In Quick Mission mode, if you shoot
down seven enemy fighters yourself,
without using a wingman and with both
triple ammo and invulnerability turned
off, there is a 20 percent chance that a
UFO will be created.

INDEPENDENCE WAR

Type in darkgoat during (light to acti-
vate cheats.

Left Shift-k Allows you to dock with
any vessel

Left Shift-0 (zero) Kill targeted ship
Left Shift-s Force next scripted event
Left Shift-; Freeze target
Left Shift-i Makes you invulnerable
Left Shift-j Jump to lagrange point
Left Shlft-8 Jump to targe!

Left Shift-9 Match the velocity of a
targeted ship

Left Shift-a Gives you superspeed

MICROSOFT COMBAT
FUGHT SIM

Flying Pig

Open a game at coordinates
N51*10.8B’ W1* 50.42’. Fly
around and look for the cloud. Oireclly
under the cloud at about 2,000 feet is a
large pink pig, hovering in midair.

Secret Mission

Look in the mission directory for a (lie
called team.mi_. Rename it to
Team. mis. Once you’ve done this, an
Interesting new mission called “Combat
Flight Sim Team Outing" will appear in
the single missions list.

' J- ,c

www.comoutei'gaming.com

- ..'jt .... ...

village. Before you reach the town,
send some troops north, along the
path (on the west side of the farm).
When you get to the river, you will
see some tiny Islands. On one of the
Islands sit three frogs. Kill the frogs

and then proceed with the mission as
planned. When you proceed to the
next mission, you will be treated to
some shots of the Bungle team In the
intro, and then get to take some
poachers with blunderbusses out for
a hunting trip.

Limbs, Heads, and
Smoking Crater

This level is truly spectacular, espe-
cially if fireworks are what you are
looking for. The level teems with
Whights and huge piles of satchel

charges. To get to it, you have to fin-
ish The Murder of Crows level. At the
end of that level, The Deceiver walks
down a path to the exit. Normally you

would follow him, but this time, turn
around and go north, clear across the
level, to the alternate exit. Then you
will proceed to the secret level.

NEED FOR SPEED III

Type the following codes at any menu to
activate the cheat;

RUSHHQUR Increases NPC

traffic

EMPIRE Opens up Empire City track
ELNINOR Gives you the secret El
Nino car

MERC Gives you the Mercedes
CLKGTR

GOFAST Allows you to dive super-
fast In single-race mode
ALLCARS Gives access to all cars

Type any of the following codes right
before you click the Race liiittan In

order to drive these secret cars:

G001 Mazda Miata

GQ02 Toyota Landcruiser

GODS Cargo truck

G004 BMW 5 series

G005 71 PlyiriDuth Barracuda

G006 Ford pickup with camper shell

G007 Jeep Chorokee

GOQ8 Ford full-size van

GOQ9 ’G4-’65 Mustang

G0 10 ’66 Chevy pickup

G011 Range Rover

G012 School bus

GDI 3 Caprice Classic taxi

G014 Chevy cargo van

G015 Volvo station wagon

G016 Sedan

G017 Crown Victoria police car
G016 Mitsubishi Eclipse police car
G019 Grand Am police car
G020 Range Rover police
car/ranger vehicle

G021 Cargo truck (same as 03)

Populous

Press Tab and F1 1 at the same time,
then typo byrne and press Enter at
the window that appears to enable cheat
mode. Now, type one of the following
codes at anytime during the game:
Tah-F3 Spells
Tab-F4 Buildings
Tab-F5 Maria

QUAKE II

To activate these cheats, press the tilde

(— ) key and enter the following codes

In the console window:

god God mode

notarget No target mode

noclip No clipping

give all All items, weapons, 999

ammo

rrm

; Create a player and type one of the following names. You'll see the
’ message: 'Player is already in the database." and you should click
the check mark. The new player will have full slats.

Type these codes anytime during the game:

Gives all players long arms, legs, and necks

Makes players small

Adds a point to home team's score

Adds a point to away team's score

Causes a penalty

Causes an injury

Causes the zamboni to appear on the ice
Starts a fireworks show

All the spectators start using their ^ash cameras
Activates pregame spotlights
Automatic body checks
Automatic stick holds

Exit the game and. while in the Credits, select
Programing and type any cheat from the following list
Makes game speed faster
Enables Internet play
Makes giant players
Plays the Stanley Cup video
Boosts all players' stats
Makes huge

^ *-iu.i.i.iiii

No crowd

Unlocks all resolution options for D3D

give jacket armor Jacket armor
give shotgun Shotgun
give super shotgun Super
shotgun

v>^'*‘VfVvw.cotnpotiKgdfn{ng.

.com

REDGUARD

To activate the cheats you first must hit
FI 2 to access the console and then
type the following: Item add,X (where
X is from the following list)

Gold

Silver boat

Stoneskin

Shovel

potion

Aloe

Health potion

Torch

Ring of

Monocle

Invisibility

eyepiece

Vola's ring

Flag

Sabre

Silver locket

Rusty key

League

Gold key

insignia

Silver key

parchment

Amulet

Joto's jail

Soul gem

map

Soul sword

Flask of

Crowbar

Lillandril

Peg rune

Kundings

Peg rune 2

talisman

Peg rune 3

Izsara's

Ore's blood

journal

Ore’s blood +

Feather

Spider's milk

Kithral's

Spider's

joiimal. The

milk +

dead monk

Ectoplasm

Folks

Ectoplasm +

firmament

Hist sap

book

Hist sap +

Izara's locked

Dwarven lore

journal

book

Star stone

Dwarven

Key to

gear

warehouse

Glass vial

Key to Izara's

Glass vial

house

filled wilh

Spell

ellxer

Glass bottle

Iron weight

empty

Bucket

Glass bottle

Bucket full of

with water

water

Glass bottle

Gauntlet rune

mixed with

Elven artifact

water and

book

aloe

Redguard

Strength

heroes book

potion

Hammerfell

Bandage

book on Flora

Bandage wilh

Map from

blood

Makio

Sabro

Leather

Sabre

pouch of gold

Sabre

Crendel's

Sabre

stolen map

Bone key

501 CHEATS / MtcROS OF|i[ Combat flig ht sim - nkd for speed • njhl '99 • populous * redgjjard • q uake h

SIMCITY 3000

give machinegun Machine gun

give

give grenade launcher

give

Grenade launcher

give

give rocket launcher Rocket

give

launcher

give

give shells Shells

give

give bullets Bullets

give

give cells Cells

give

give grenades Grenades

give

give rockets Rockets

_^tfS

First press the tilde (~) key. as in other QUAKE-engine
games, then enter the code:
m Health 999
All weapons
God mode
No clip mode
No target

'i-To get items, type -where / is any of the following:

Gives the magnum
Gives the shotgun

^ Gives the assault rifle

Gives the rocket launcher
Gives the sniper rifle
Gives the big gun from the chopper
. Gives the reactive shield
Gives rockets
Gives a coin
Gives a health pack
Gives a pack of cookies
Makes a light-effect

Chaingun (the one you get with the 5-key)
Blue identcard
Orange identcard
Yellow identcard
Green identcard
Smalt key

Bag from bank robbery
Gives a coin
Papers with evidence
First part of pulse cannon
Second part of pulse cannon
Third part of pulse cannon
Chemical protection suit
Blueprints from construction site
Sample from chemplant
Silencer for standard gun

To activate any of the cheats, first press the Ctrl-Shift-Alt-C keys
all at the same time. Then type in one of the following cheats in
the window.

1 am weak Makes buildings, utilities, zoning.

transportation, planting trees, and
creating surface water free

call cousin Vinnie Go to the Meet window to the Local

Fundraising Event. Once there. Vinnie
will offer you some cash

Zyxwvu Use the call cousin Vinnie cheat and

refuse his offer Then use the zyxw/vu
cheat and the beautiful SIMCITY Castle
will appear in your Rewards menu.
The castle boosts land value, aura,
and does some other good stuff

garbage in. garbage out Makes all garbage buildings available
power to the masses Makes all power buildings available
water in the desert Makes all water buildings available

Level Skip Cheat

Go to the console by pressino (he tilde
(~) key, then type map x (whero x is
tho level name-for instance, map
bossZ) For a list of level names, go to
Multiplay/Kost Game from the main
meiui.

RAILROAD TYCOON 2

To activate cheats, first press Tab to
bhnp up your cursor and then type In
one of the following:

BigfootGold Win with gold victory
BlgfootSilver Win with silver victory
BigfootBronze Win with bronze
victory

BoBo Lose scenario

King of the hill Gives your character

SIOO.OQO

PowerballGives company $100 million
Slush fund Gives company $1 million
Let me in Gives access tn all denied
territories

Speed Racer Doubles maximum train
speeds

AMD103 Converts all engines to AMD-
103s at expense of profits
Show me the trains Gives all
engines

Viagra Increases
city sizes

RAINBOW 8

To activate cheats,
press ' in the game
and then type in one
of the following:

TEAMGODTeam

god mode
AUATARGOO

Player god mode

STUMPY Stumpy mode on
CLODHOPPER Enlarges player's leet
and hands

MEGANOGGIN Mega head mode
BIGNOGGIN Big head mode
5FIN6ER0ISC0UNT Gives full ammo
NOBRAINER Turns Al off
DEBUGKEYS Debug keys enabled
TURNPUNCHKiCK Changes players
from 3D to 2D
1-900 Heavy breathing
EXPLORE Toggles the victory condi-
tions on/off

STAR WARS:

ROGUE SQUADRON

To enter the cheats, click on Settings
from the console, then select General.
There you will see a blank space labeled
“Enter Passcode Here." Click on it. and
press Shift-Del to disable the cheat.
CREDITS IWi/s-stylc credits
LEIAVURKOUT Activates force feed-
back for PC joysticks
GUNDARK Modifies force feedback
control for PC joysticks
CHICKEN Allows you to play as an
AT-ST

lAMDOLLYGives yon unlimited lives

Salt on
Salt off

Terrain one up
Terrain one down
Terrain ten up
Terrain ten down
pay tribute to your king
I love red tape
let's make a deal
nerdz root

Changes the sea to salt water

Changes the sea to fresh water

Raises the terrain

Lowers the terrain

Raises the terrain

Lowers the terrain

All rewards become available

All ordinances become available

Neighbor and business deals offered

Gives you high-tech industry

w.compuK'isdming-com .

ATTENTION ALL INTERNET USERS:

Start talkin’

Talk n’ Play is the best way to speak with up to four people over
the internet. Combine that with 25 Internet games from World
Opponent Network and a sweet headset and you’ve got internet
gaming, baby!

So now you can connect with your family and friends and
challenge them to a game of Poker, Golf or Red Baron, even If they
live thousands of miles away!

Start Playing!

25 INTERNET GAMES • 4 PERSON INTERNET PHONE • HEADSET / MICROPHONE

www.talknplay.com

THRUSTMASTERtsaregisUredlraMmark ol ThnjsIMasIsr. Inc.Talk n' Play is a Irademaik ol ThiusiMasler. Inc WeCanTnlk com is a

Go to #1 1 1 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

These cheats are identical to
the codes for the original
STARCRAFT. First hit the Enter
key and type in the cheat,
then press Enter again to
activate it. The codes that
affect gameplay conditions
can be toggled by typing them
a second time,
there is no cow level Win
current mission
game over man Lose current

power overwhelming All
friendly units and structures
are invincible (can affect
scripted scenes)
show me the money Adds

10.000 minerals and 10,000
gas

whals mine is mine Adds

10.000 minerals

breathe deep Adds 10.000 gas
something for nothing All
upgrades can be researched
instantly and free of charge
black sheep wall Turns off
fog-of-war

operation cwal Increases unit
and structure build times
dramatically Instant research
slaying alive Turns off victory
conditions so the current
mission will never end
medieval man All technology
and special abilities can be
researched instantly and free
of charge

modify the phase variance-
Opens up the entire technol-
ogy tree

food for thought Turns off
supply requirements
the gathering Infinite energy
for all friendly and enemy
units

war aint what it used to be
Disables fog-of-war
Noglues Prevents enemy
units from using energy-
based special abilities
radio free zerg Plays a hidden
Zerg tune: available only
when using the Zerg race

Ophelia Enables level skip-
ping, For original STARCRAFT
campaign mission, type
leiranY. zergY, or protossY
where Y is the number of the
mission. For BROOD WAR
campaign missions, type
xprotossY, xlerranY. or
xzergY. where Y is the num-
ber of the mission.

To accDss the cheats, press T (or what-
ever you have the message hutton
ma|)|icil to), type the code, and then hit

Enter

mptears Gives you unlimited ammo

mpgoil God mode

mpkfa Full ammo, armor, and health

mphealtti Full health

mpammo Full ammo

mparmor Full armor

mpclip Toggles clipping mode on/off

mppos Toggles coordinates on/off

mpcamera Toggles camera mode

ou/ctt

mplightscape Turns liyhtscapo edit
mode on/off

map

BONES Highlights objects you can
Interact with
GORE 2 More gore
INVUL Invincibility
WOO Infinite ammo
BIONICWOMAN You can jttmp
higher, but you run slower
WIN Shows ending FMV
DINOS Freezes dinos

lorward; crouch and stand; spin
around three times; then jump
backward.

• To find a secret room: Go to the
pool in Lara's mansion. Behind the
diving hoard, there is a switch. Flip the
switch to open a door in the main mom
of the mansion. Behind there is another |
switch. Pull that switch, turn around
and run to the open door that's across
the hall. Once In there, you'll find Lara's
treasure room.

SPEC OPS: RANGER
TEAM BRAVO

* Move the savedata.Ixl file out of the
spucops directory, and you’ll gain access
to all missions.

- Hit Alt-Shift-V, go to your items list
and select the Viewfinder, and your
ranger will be Invincible.

TRESPASSER

To change levels, held Chl-Shift-Q-W,
then release the W key.

If you’re stuck with this game, here is
how to activate some cheats that might
ease the pain. Press Ctrl-F11. A cursor
will appear in the lower left of the
screen; then type in any of those codes.
After typing the code, press Enter and
hit Ctrl-F1 1 again to activate.

TNEXT Transports you through impor-
tant locations on the level
LOG Gives coordinates on the world

TUROK 2

Select “Enter Cheats" in the Options
menu. An onscreen keypad appears on
which you must type the names of the
cheats yon want available to you during
the game. To turn a cheat on (or off),
you must then go to Cheat Select Menu
and select the particular cheat you want.
OBLIVIONISOUTTHERE
Lets you activate any of the cheats (it's
the /7/;er cheat, since it's cguivalent to
typing in the names of all cheats)
TROMPEM Big hands and feet mode
BIGBADNOODLE Big head mode
HELLOSTICKY Stick mode
LILLIPUTIAN Uny mode
PICASSO Pen-and-ink mode
HENRYSBILERP Gnuratid mode
YOQUIEROJUAN Shows Juan's face
on every diamond
MRNOPRULEZ Do nolhing
INEEDAUPS Blackout mode
WIZARDOFOZ Psychedelic textures
JANESSPECIALWORLD Same as
Juan's but for Jane

TOMB RAIDER 111

• Tu skip a level in the game: Draw the
pistols; walk one step backward; walk
one step forward; crouch and stand; spin
around three times: then jump forward.

• To gel all weapons: Draw the pistols;
walk one step backward; walk one step

dug

UNREAL

Hit the tilde (— ) key, which brings up a
console, then type any of the following
cheats;

Allammo Full ammo

Fly Fly mode on

Ghost Fly mode plus no clipping

God God mode

Walk Normal mode

invisiblel Makes yon invisible

InuisibleO Toggles invisibility off

killall Kills all enemies on level

Playersonly Freezes all enemies

Suicide You die

Summon X Gives the desired

weapon or item where X is the name of

the item

Enter the following names to play the
corresponding level:
vortexZ Vortex RIkers

nyleue NyLeve's Fails

dig Rrajigar Mine

Depths of Rrajigar
Sacred Passage
chizra Chizra-Nali Water God

Temple

ceremony The Ceremonial
Chambers
dark Dark Arena

liarobed Harohed Village
terralift Terraniux Underground

terraniux Terraniux
noork Noork's Elbow

ruins Temple of Vandora

trench The Trench
isvkranA ISV-Kron Dock 4
isvkran32 ISV-Kran Decks 3 and 2
isvdecki ISV-Kran Deck 1
spirevillage Spire Village
thesunspire The Sunspire
skycaues Gateway to Na Pali
skytown Na Pali Haven
skybase Outpost
veloraend Velora Pass
bluK Bluff Eversmoking

basapass Dasa Mountain Pass
dasacellars Collars at Dasa Pass
naliboat Serpent Canyon
nalic Nall Castle

nalilord Deinonlord's Lair
dcrater Demoncrater
extremebeg Mothership Basement
extremelab Mothership Lab
extremecore Mothership Core
extremegen Skaarj Generator
extremedgen Illumination
extremedark The Darkening
extremeend The Source
Antechamber

queenend The Source

UIPER RACING

Press Shift-FI 2 to activate a blimp
camera that flies around using DesCENT-
slyle controls.

X'CQM INTERCEPTOR

Press Ctrl-W whan you hear a double
beep lone, cheat mode is active.
Battlecheat To enahlo cheats
Canttouchtbis Invincibility
Fillerup Unlimited flight range

THIEF: THE DARK PROJECT

The following cheats work only with v1 .33.

• Press Control-AU-Shift-End to skip the current mission.

• Add the line cash_bonus to your dark.cfg. If set to an integer, its value is added to your loot total.

• Add the line starting.,mission X in your dark.cfg. where X is the desired mission number. When you
select New Game, you will start at that mission.

J--- ? ,y J..V. .

in Europe, you've staked a claim in the New Worla.
If the natives rebel, your next message will be
pinned to their backs.

Ultimately, your goal is to become Europe's greatest
power. To do this, you'll have to parlay New World
resources into Old World dominance. Develop what
you can, trade for the rest. Deploy spies to help
stay ahead of the technology curve and build
a formidable military.

YOU ARE NOW ON MY LAND

CITY

And that arrogant queen who wouldn't acknowledge “ Begin with global economic and diplomatic policies
your land claim? It won't be long before she's “
serving you tea in the morning.

# The richness and depth o/game play is reflected in 40 militar>'
and civilian units and 100 technologies from over
300 years of hLstory (ISOOs-lflOOs)

* Advanced artiftcial intelligence considers nation-specific
personalities, strategies and diplomatic agendas

* lligh-rcsolutlon graphics set in an engrossing baroque style

♦ Intuitive interface and extensive game play tutorial makes

It easy for first-time players to get up and running

* Go head-to-head against other world leaders in multi-

player mode supporting up to 6 olavers * expjou me New World on unlimited his-
“ toncally based and

WW\V.iMpERrALiSM2.

COM

:o #218 ® www.computergamlng.com/lnfolink

control

engine

EVIL, W 1

MEAN AND

C K E D,

NASTY.

Jane's A-10 Warthog takes you into the
brutal world of frontline air combatl It's like
piloting a flying tanki The A-10 encases
your cockpit in a 4" thick titanium bathtub

Wft Bu'itd Simt By The Book dni ElocBomc Ant-aie iniijimirks ai logisuio
bodanulu ol OocUonc Am In ih< anS/oi other counoies. Jane t it * reg
stored tredwnuk ot Jan* ■ InTannaDon Stow. LTD. Jane t Combat Snnulation i
an Eleceonic Aru brand The aXzlogo is a trademark ol 30ti Inteiactm, lite.

that acts like a bullet-proof helmet for your
butt. So don't worry about getting hit-
worry about turning enemy tanks into scrap
metal! After all, you're armed with the
most devastating ground attack weapon
ever built: the Avenger Cannon. With a recoil
that shakes the entire plane, this 30 mm,
7 barrel cannon turns titanium armour into
tin foil. The A-10 is so devastating. Desert
Storm pilots saw enemy commanders
evacuate their tanks and run at the sight of
it! Jane's A-10 Warthog is the meanest,
nastiest flight sim we've ever made!
Prepare to get down and dirty!

Jane’s

We Build Sims ByThe Book"
www.ianes.ca.com

sWtTVcoon Willie a j
pc Gf * *'^-- "

.^ps addictive..

Building 17
loop-the-loops
in a row seemed
like a good idea
at the time...

Thrills, spills, and chills have never been so much funi
You’ll get to sculpt your park's terrain, hire the employees,
and build the rides. You’ll have an unlimited combination of
roller coaster designs and landscapes to build the coolest
‘coasters Imaginable. You’ll get to manage the entire park,
from building and maintenance to research and development.
And you’ll wind up hopelessly addicted to creating the
amusement park of your dreams.

AMES

...IS done out of a

church. But the Gathering
of Developers aren't
choirboys — considering
that they have titles like
MAX PAYNE, heavy METAU
FAK.K.2 and KISS:
PSYCHO CIRCUS in
development. Who are
they, and why do they
think they're out to save
gaming?

by Ken Brown

.COMPUTER

G.O.D. Cofounders
Mike Wilson (above,
left) and Harry Miller,
and the disciples (inset)
in their converted
church offices.

I t's anything but business as usual for the Gathering of

Developers. The brash new Dallas-based game publisher-
otherwise known as G.O.D.-^as shaken up the industry by
shaping itself as a developer's collective. Their strategy: Fund
good games by successful developers, pay higher royalties,
and give game makers more credit and creative freedom. If the G.O.D.
strategy pays off, it could result in healthier independent developers
and better games, it may also serve as a hedge against the kind of
publisher consolidation that has occurred in the console-game sector
of the industry.

To fulfill their vision, G.O.D. cofounders Mike Wilson and Harry
Miller set out to create the gaming industry's version of the film
world's United Artists. UA was formed in 1919. when Douglas
Fairbanks and Mary Pickford got fed up with the way the big studios
were exploiting people. They formed a company that rewarded their
talent and put more of the decisions in the hands of those who
understood movie making. With that in mind, Wilson and Miller
formed a collective with eight developers, including 3D Realms, Ritual
Entertainment, and Terminal Reality, all of which have a say in the
titles G.O.D. publishes.

The strategy has been controversial. Early critics claimed that
G.O.D. wouldn't have the marketing muscle to put enough of its
titles on mass retailers' shelves. Others said putting the lunatics in
charge of the asylum would lead to blown deadlines and kitchen-
sink game design.

But the evidence is beginning to mount that G.O.D.'s plan is indeed
working. In the 18 months since G.O.D.'s inception, it has helped
develop 10 games, published JAZZ JACKRABBIT and RAILROAD TYCOON II
(both of which sold well), and has a string of impressive titles lined
up that Include FLVI, MAX PAYNE, HEAVY metal: FAK.K.^. nocturne,
and others (covered in the following pages). G.O.D. also appears to
have made an impact on the way publishers structure developer roy-
alties, which have grown from the low teens to 20-30 percent.

That's not to say G.O.D. is taking over the world. Since the compa-
ny is so lean, with a skeletal marketing and management crew, the
Gathering can't fund more titles before shipping a top seller or rais-
ing outside capital. In addition, G.O.D. still hasn't attracted a top-tier,
high-profile developer like id Software, Ensemble Studios, or Valve.
Even 3D Realms, arguably the highest-profile member of the
Gathering, hasn't committed wholeheartedly, allowing only certain
titles to go out under the Gathering label (and DUKE NUKEM FOREVER
isn't one of them).

WHAT'S G.O.D.'S PLAN?

So where is all of this leading? No matter how successful the
Gathering is, it probably won't threaten the long-term hegemony
of publishing powerhouses like EA and Microsoft. But Wilson
believes it's important for someone to act as a counterweight to
the big boys. He wants the Gathering to "keep the balance of
power weighted in the direction of the creators rather than the
financiers, before consolidation makes things really scary."

Of course, G.O.D. could become a big boy itself. It happened to
United Artists and, more recently, to Electronic Arts, which was
founded on some of the same ideals.
G.O.D.'s founders have said that they
expect to grow with the addition of
other development companies, and
they hope to take on more titles when
they have the money. And what if they
got an offer for S50 million to sell out?

"I'd take it," Wilson replied. "Then I'd
buy one of my other partners out and
get back in. It's still too much fun shak-
ing things up in this ridiculous industry
to walk away completely, and I don't
know how anything could compare to
the Gathering in that area."

COMPUTERCAMINC WORLD 'JUNE 1999 103

PHOTOS BY: JOHN BELL

Genre: Action • ETA: Q1 '00 • Developer: Remedy Entertainment

MODEL THIS! ! ! MAX PAYNE's ballistics model is impressive. In this shot you can
clearly see each individual pellet — and you'll feel them too.

M ax Payne is in a world of hurt. As an undercover DEA operative in
New York City, he’s not in the easiest of professions. Three years ago
his wife and child were brutally murdered by the New York Mafia, and
he now finds himself undercover and up to his neck in the biggest
organized crime family in the city. It seems that tiiere is a new, deadly
drug on the streets, Valkyr, and Max is getting close to the source. But just as he gets onto
something big, his superior officer is killed and the murder is pinned on Max. This of course
hits all of the local papers, blowing his cover in the mob. Quickly he finds himself being chased
by the cops and the Mafia. Welcome to the world of Max Payne.

MAX PAYNE is being developed by Remedy Entertainment in Helsinki, Finland, under the
watchful eye of the game's publisher. Gathering of Developers (G.O.D.). Remedy isn't very
well known (the company's biggest hit to date was the driving title DEATH RALLY, a lackluster
seller), but with G.O.D. 's help, the company hopes to hit the big time with MAX PAYNE.

In the Gritty Underworld

Max's trials will take place in areas ranging from down-and-dirty industrial settings all the
way to palatial, upscale havens where the "real evil dwells,'’ according to MAX PAYNE's Game
Designer Sam Lake.

Some of the game's interiors sport amazing detail. The designers have created realistic envi-
ronments that are unmatched by anything else we've seen. It's one thing to conjure up alien
environments, but quite another to accurately and believably render the real world.

The game will use dynamic radiosity lighting to ensure that the environments are as believ-
able as possible. Realism and beauty do have their price, of course. MAX PAYNE will be 3D-
accelerated only (supporting Direct3D along with native support for many 3D cards); there will
be no software rendering for the Luddites among us.

For that extra sense of realism, the Remedy team is sending a group of artists, armed with
cameras, into the streets of New York City to gather scenes that will be incorporated into the
game's environments. The designers intend to take the real world New York City scenes down
a notch into the gritty underworld of film noir — and just when New York's image was starting
to improve. Rudy Giuliani won't be pleased.

What a Character

But it's not just interiors and exteriors that show the designers ambition. Max and his
adversaries are also rendered in great detail. The game's skeletal animation system wraps
several layers of player "skins" around a simulated skeleton, resulting in characters whose
clothing and motions are very realistic. Capes and coats flap in the wind, and roll-and-dive
moves border on the cinematic.

The traditional downside to detail in computer games has been the unavoidable slow-
down in frame-rates at higher detail levels. Remedy has solved this problem in MAX PAYNE by
using what Project Lead Petri Jan/ilehto calls a "level of detail" system. This renders objects
in the distance with relatively few pixels, and uses progressively more pixels as the objea

comes closer and fills a greater portion of
the screen. In this way, the computer has to
perform fewer of the complex calculations
that slow down scene-rendering. Another
trick the design team is using to maintain
high frame-rates is something called "exit
optimization." In this technique, the comput-
er draws only what the player sees, instead
of everything in a specific area, whether or
not the player is aware of its presence. For
example, if you're looking through a door-
way, only the objects and portions of walls in
your direct line-of-sight will be rendered.

Cinematic Action

The Remedy guys are major movie buffs,
and it shows in MAX PAYNE's design. Remedy
hopes to let the gamer have a cinematic
experience while playing the game, all the
better to draw him into what Remedy
promises will be a deep plot. That's why they
decided to show Max in the third-person per-
spective. The designers felt that a first-person
perspective just wasn't an option to fully
show off all of the great moves Max has at
his disposal.

If you've seen any John Woo movies, you
already have a good idea of the kinds of
moves Max is capable of performing in the
game. From the standard crouch to the
supercool sideways jump while opening up
with both barrels to falling backward into a
rolling getaway move. Max will execute
moves other game characters can only vir-
tually dream about.

Of course, Max isn't invulnerable by any
means. If all that dodging and jumping
doesn't quite get him out of danger and he
ends up taking a bullet or two, he'll accu-
rately reflect the injury. If he's shot in the
leg, for instance, he'll limp his way through
the rest of the game. And if he takes one
through the chest, well. ..be sure to check
out that exit wound coming out of his
back before you reboot.

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT These two shots
demonstrate the impressive lighting
effects in MAX PAYNE. Notice how the
shooter's face and body are realistically
lit by the muzzle flash.

SPLATTERFEST 1 01 This shot demonstrates the particle rendering that the Remedy team
is building into MAX PAYNE (notice the splattering blood).

"If Max takes one through the
chest well ...be sure to check out that exit
wound cowing out of his back before
you reboot"

Super Slo-iVIo

One of the more novel aspects of MAX
PAYNE is its use of slow motion. Throughout
the game, the gamer will see many sequences
play out in John Woo-style slo-mo action
scenes that let you fully appreciate the level of
detail while you experience that ever-so-
important movie feel. The slow motion will be
scripted into the game, so that it will kick in at
predetermined times. Slow motion will also be

i/.computergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999

^ "The designers intend to take
the real-world New York City scenes down a
notch into the gritty underworld of film noir
^ Rudy Ciuliani won't be pleased." ^

used as a reward of sorts for a well-placed
shot on an enemy. If you score a difficult head
shot, for example, a slow-motion instant replay
will show the exchange from a different angle.
Jarvilehto says that Remedy Is considering let-
ting the gamer toggle the slow-motion mode
on and off, but at present it is always on.

The designers also plan to make a fully
slow-motion multiplayer mode to provide a
whole new dynamic to the standard death-
match. According to Jan/ilehto, this option
will let you take more time to plan your
moves — and to savor your enemy's destruc-
tion. It remains to be seen how this element
will appeal to gamers, but the Remedy crew
is very excited about this newest twist on the
multiplayer theme.

You Will Now Die,

Bad Guy

Weapons in MAX PAYNE will be stricity
real-world stuff. If you're looking for alien

death rays and plasma bombs,
you're in the wrong place. However,
that doesn't mean that the guns
available in MAX PAYNE will be
without co/ones. Take, for example,
a fully automatic shotgun that
Remedy dubs "The Jackhammer."

After seeing this thing in action, I
was ready to trade in my BFG on
the spot.

To enhance the realism of
the guns, all weapons will be
rendered using volumetric par-
ticle systems that model the
weapon's muzzle exhaust and
flash in great detail. To put
things right over the top, the
particles are randomized in
each passing frame, resulting in
a supenealistic look and feel.

Tlie bullet trajectories are modeled with real
physics that take into account the effect that
gravity has on each projectile — all the way

down to that last shotgun pellet ripping
through your victim's temple. And if you run
out of ammo? Then it’s time to pull out your
trusty Louisville Slugger and the fresh can of
whup ass that comes along with it.

Comic Book...er...

Graphic Novel Flavor

In designing MAX PAYNE, the Remedy team
decided to incorporate one of its favorite pas-
times, reading graphic novels, as a reward to

FROM BACK
STREETS TO
BALLROOMS Max
will go through a
varied range of environments, from
grimy warehouses to gilded mansions.

gamers for completing a level. Instead of a bor-
ing "Level Loading— Please Wait" screen,
graphic novel panels will round out the story-
line while the next level loads.

As an aside, there are even
rumors that a MAX PAYNE movie
project may come out some-
time after the game debuts.
Through his connections with
G.O.D., Gene Simmons of KISS has
secured the rights for any such MAX
PAYNE film. No word yet as to who would
play Max — Gene himself, perhaps? Nah.

Grow Your Own

Remedy will include an impressive package
of editing tools with MAX PAYNE. The level
editor, MaxEd, is the most user-friendly editor
we've ever seen. It's a true drag-and-drop,
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)
editor that will aaually be easy and—get
this — fun to use. After having slogged through
some simple room design with DeathMatch
Maker and WorldCraft, I was amazed at how
easy it was to create a level with MaxEd, if all
goes according to plan and the editor does
indeed ship with the game, home-grown level
designers will be in heaven.

The Bottom Line

The danger in making a very cinematic
game is that it will be pretty to look at, great
to read about, and boring as hell to play. By
adding new, experimental elements like slow
motion, the Remedy designers are going
out on a long, precarious limb. But if
they succeed — and it looks as though
they very well might, in spectacular
fashion — they will take action gaming
to the next level. Here's hoping they
do. Watch upcoming issues of CGW
for updates as MAX PAYNE nears
completion. T<n'.7
for more mfo, check out the
MAX PAYNE Web site at www.

maxpayne.com.

BULLET IN THE HEAD Max can do tons
of cool John Woo-style dives and rolls.

,106

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999

'.computergaming.c

I ' You Don't Know Jack Volume 4:
jWti .Yhe Ride

51B2407

51689Q1

5182308

Chessmaster 6000
Slralegv Game, Penl90, 16mb

i\Caesar III

'/Strategy Game, PentOO, 16mb

Seven Kingdoms Ancient Adversaries 5164603
Strategy Game, PentOO, 16mb
I'vPIiantasmagoria Stagefright

S167D02

5182209

5186705

See details below.

Hedne^ Rampage

JUllties, 16mb 5185400 CD*ROM DIRECT

A whole new way to get the most exerting CD-ROMs -

games, reference, edutainment and more - ali at great prices! Just write in the
selection numbers of the 2 CD-ROMs you want for SI each, plus shipping and
handling. In exchange, you agree to buy 4 more CD-ROMs in the next 2 years,
at our regular prices (currently as low as $29.95, plus shipping and handling) -
and you may cancel membership at any lime after doing so. What's more, you can
gel one more CD-ROM right now for the low price of $19.95 and have less to buy
later (see complete details in coupon).

Free CD-ROM magazine sent every four weeks (up to 1 3 limes a year)
reviewing our Featured Selection - plus scores of altemale choices, induding many
lower priced CD-ROMs. And you may also receive Special Selection mailings up to
tour times a year (a total of up to 1 7 buying opportunities a year!)

Buy only what you want! If you want the Featured Selection, do nothing -
it will be sent automatically. If you’d prefer an alternative selection, or none at all, just
mail the response card always provided by the date specified. You'll always have
10 days to decide: if not, you may return the selection at our expense.
Money-Saving Bonus Plan, it you continue your membership after
tuiniling your obligation, you'll be eligible for our generous bonus plan. It enables you
to enjoy great savings on the CD-ROMs you want - lor as long as you dedde to
remain a member!

Columbia House CD-ROM Direct Bloomington, IN 47404-14^8

Yes, please enroll me under the terms outlined in this advenisemenl. As a member, 1 need to buy just
4 more CD-ROMs at your regular prices within the next 2 years.

Important! All selections are available for PC only.

Send me these 2 CD-ROMs for just $1.00 each
plus $1 .99 each shipping/handling (total $5.98).

Buy your first selection now and have less to buy later!

□ Also send my first selection for $19.95 plus $1.99 shipping/handling which I'm adding to my $5.98
payment (lota! $27.92), I then need to buy only 3 more (instead of 4) in 2 years. | ^ |

Please check how paying: D My check is enclosed.

Charge my introductory CD-ROMs and future CD-ROM Direct purchases to:
n MasterCard IZI Diners Club CH AMEX CD VISA IZI Discover

Accouni rJlirnbei Exp Dale Signaiui

(MLL/MLP)

(MLM/MLQ)

ucy) '.Ultimate Collector For Beanie Babies

"^•/Home/Peisonal, 16mb

5188107

Deer Hunter Avenger

Sports, PentOO, 16mb

5185903

'ty ySabrina The Teenage Witch

“”,7 Adventure, Pcnl133, 32mb

5187408

Fix-It Utilities 99

Home/Personal, Pentium

5190202

TJvTom Clancy's Politika
"i!-^Advenlute. PenilOO, 16mb

5187208

Smart Start Spanish

Language Tutorial, WC

5189105

Quest For Glory V: Dragon Fire

ntWRoie Playing, Pcnlt66, 32mb

518GB04

Return To Krondor

Role Playing, Pent166, 24mb

5164205

5187307

“Wl^Right Simulation, Pent166, 32mb

Pro Pilot '99

5185004

Plight Sim,, Pent133, 32mb

Jumpstart Baby

Children’s Education, WC, 16mb

5175708

iiciu13 D Ultra NASCAR Pinball

5181508

Arcade Slyle, PentOO, 16mb

51796D1

Sports, Penl133, 32mb

Arcade Style. Penl166, 16mb

5146600 V

Ultimate Scrapbook Creator

5177209 H

Home/Personal, 1Gmb

The Print Shop Live Mail

Homc/Peisoiial. IGiitU

5175609 H

Oddworld: Abe's Exoddus

ArudeSMe Pi'-tiGG '6fb

5182605 P

Police Quest SWAT Force

Adventure. Penl133, 16mb

5186002 ^

Blaster Learning

System 3R's Ages 6-9

Children's Education, WC, 16mb

5175401 ’ •

rh^'jHeretic 11

Arcade Style, Pentium, 16mb

51724QB

The Print Shop:

ac!

Signature Greetings

Home'Peisonul. 16nih.P

Baldur's Gate
flofePtaYru Ptmi66. 16mb

5188206 H

Where In The World Is

Carmen Sandiego?

Children's Education, WC

5169503 Id

5179700 11

“vW/Arcade, Peiil166, 32mb

Driver's Education '99

Driving Simulation, Pentium, IGmb

5183702 n

-'^^NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition

.^“/Driving Simulalion, PentlOO. 32mb

5183801

Dune 2000

Adventure, PentOO, 16mb

5153208 ^

Cormageddon 2: Carpocalypse Now

Arcade Sf/le, Pent200. 16mb

5182704 R

'Jumpstart Adventures 6th Grade

''hv^Children'sEd,

5183504 M

2 CD-ROMs

rji m

For EA.

Plus 1 more at great savings!

Game Show Trivia

The War Of The Worlds

Strategy Game, Penl166, 16mh

j vAfter Dark Games

How To Select CD-ROMs
For Your System.

All selections are available lor PC only. Unless olhsiv/ise
/njffeatetf, minimum system mquiremenis ere Windows ‘95
opereting system, a 486/66 processor with 8M8 RAM, SVGA
display, sound card, 200 MB hard drive, 4X CD-ROM drive,

mode. Where indicated, JsJoyslick, P=Printer, Pert=Pentium,
and WC:Windows '95 Compabble selection.

1 Play With The Teletubbies

1 Children's Eduulion. PentOO, 16mb

5181380

1 Descent Freespace-The Great War

1 Adventure, PenttGO, 32mb

5156302

■ II^i^-^Limited Edition ^

1 ' Adventure

5186101

1 Fashion Trip

1 Personal Gtovdb, Pent133, 32mb

5161102

3 NHRA Drag Racing

1^^ Driving Simulalion. Penl133, t6mb

51B25D8

Ultra Wincleaner

Ublllies

5177704

Quake

Aicade Style, PenltOO, 16mb

5134200

Jr. High School Success

Children's Education. WC

5128509

King's Quest; Mask Of Eternity

Artverliire Pentt66 33mb

5184304

Riven: the Sequel To Myst

Advenlure. PenttOO. 16mb

S166202

Die By The Sword

|H Adventure. DOS. PenltOO, IGmb

5156203

star Trek Starship Creator

Vj Arcade Style, PentSO, 16mb
|||l MBA

College Prep, WC

5177883

5172884

Aquazone: The Virtual

SRj Aquarium Deluxe

, Interacbve Pet

5167SD7

Total Annihilation

'•jff Strategy Game, PentlOO, 16mb
^ 1 Asteroids

J, 1 Arcade Style, Pentl66,32mb

5130406

5166806

1 I Interactive Reading Journey

1 For Grades 1-2

I Children's Education. WC

5142401

/i / Starsiege Tribes

Nl I Atfventure. Peffll66. 32:rb

5185806

' I Links LS 1999 Edition

■ I Sports, Pent166,32mb

jk J Kindergarten Blaster

Children's Education, WC

Arcade Style, Pentt66. 16mb

5163704

5128408

5163506

Grand Prix Legends

lll^B Sports. Pent 166, 32mb

Fallout 2

Role Plavmo. Pen|l33. t6mb

5161409

5163407

H Compton's Interactive

H Encyclopedia '99 Deluxe

■ General Ret .WC. Pentium

5164108

10-Day Risk-Free Trial. Wo’ll send details of how Columbia House CD-ROM
Direct works along with your introductory package. If you’re not satisfied, return
everything within 10 days at our expense for a full refund and no further obligation.
More titles. See us online tor over 1000 lilies to choose from
For faster service, use your credit card and call us toll-free 24 hours a day.

My main CD-ROM Interest Is: (check one) (Note. Voumc always free locnoose Iron any caiegory.)

Q Enlettainmenl CH Education IZI Edutainment IZi Produclivily

(mcluUes childion's lilies)

Name Phone ( )

1-800-792-1000x1

Check us out online! For more titles.. .to order.. .or for more information.

http://vvww.columbiahouse.com/cdrom

Addr ess Apt.

City Slate Zig

Nolo: Columbia House reserves the right to request addilional inlormation, to limit membership or reject any
application, o; to cancel any rnombership. Offer limilod lo residents ol the contiguous United Slates. Residents of
Alnsko, Hawaii, Pueilo Rico, U.S. lerfitones, APO and FPO addresses pleaso write for separate offer.

Heavy Metal:
F.A.K.K.2

Ritual Takes a
Ride on HEAVY
METAL: F.A.K.K

H eavy Metal is the ultimate teenage fantasy come to life; mind-bending

animation, intense violence, and hard-driving rock. The 1981 movie was an
electrifying ride across 1 1 unrelated (and inconsistent) stories linked by a
mysterious green orb. Spawned by the fantasy magazine that featured
some of the world's most psychotic illustrators, it became a cult classic.
Now, two all-new, wildly stylized Heavy Metal pro\ec\s are heading our way. A new movie,
coming this fall, will combine bizarre 3D animation with an epic story and a sexy female
heroine (based on B-movie queen and former Penthouse Pet Julie Strain). Meanwhile, Ritual
Entertainment is working on a game using the QUAKE III engine that will blend action, adven-
ture, and innovative combat control in the Heavy Metal universe. Eager to see how the game
is taking shape, we flew to Dallas to get the world's first look.

What the Hell Is F.A.K.K 2?

Heavy Metal: FAK.K.^, the movie, is the brainchild
of Kevin Eastman, cocreator of the Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles (hey, at least the cow-
abungholes are helping to subsidize some-
thing interesting). The story behind the
movie evolved from the 1 993 graphic
novel The Melting Pot, by Eastman, Simon
Bisley, and Eric Talbot. After The Melting
Pot, Eastman wanted to do an epic film
with a strong female lead and an evil
nemesis.

"I always wanted to create a heroic
adventure with a female star," says
Eastman, "thriving in a backdrop that would
combine the desperation of Road Warrior, the
intensity of Aliens, the visual feel of Blade Runner,
and the magnitude of Akira Kurosawa's Ran. It's
intensely violent, very fast-moving, very fast-paced,"

In the futuristic story, F,A.K.K. stands for Federation Assigned
Ketogenic KilIzone, a biohazard warning to interplanetary
explorers. F.A.K.K.^ indicates a biohazard so dangerous that
nothing can survive it. F,A.K.K.^ is also the name of an idyllic
world and the woman who is trying to protect it. But the real reason Eastman coined the

term is because he wanted his female lead to have a name that sounded like "F you!"

With love in her heart and two automatic, four-barreled blasters in her hands, F.A.K.K.^
sets out to free her sister from a ruthless monster (Lord Tyler) who ravaged their planet.
The $15 million movie is coming this fall from Sony & Columbia Tristar, (If you want to see
how it's taking shape, check out the Heavy Metal site at www.heavy-metal.net/

Default-2.htm, and click on "Animation

Background.")

HAPPY MASK Gith
Industries wants its
workers to be happy.

■■ ‘ .,f, ■ ,

f 1

■ \I by Ken Brown

Genre: Action/Adventure • ETA: Q4 '99 • Developer: Ritual Entertainment

What About the Game?

The game's story picks up where the
movie leaves off.
Players control
F.A.K.K,^ (a.k.a.
Julia, a.k.a. the
StarStrider), who
must now defend
her homeworld
from invasion by a
Borg-like collective
known as Gith
Industries. (Who
writes this stuff?)

JULIE STRAIN Former Penthouse Pet Julie
Strain provided the inspiration for the
heroine in HEAVY METAL: F.A.K.K.^. Oh,
and she's Kevin Eastman's wife.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD 'JUNE 1999

BELPHEGORIAN CITIZEN

These charming freaks are large, mentally
deranged inhabitants of the Belphegorian
slums. They relish in the physical and will go
to extreme lengths to "perfect" themselves.
Anything from removing an old arm to make
way for a new one to aggravating the pox
rash they have on their butt. The redder and
more painful and pustulant, the better.

HEAVY metal's QUAKE 111 engine can handle large
spaces, curved surfaces, and 24-blt color,

Gith — think Microsoft meets Mussolini in an H.R. Geiger nightmare —
has been motoring around the galaxy in a spaceship strapped to a con-
quered, decimated planet. The company is looking for an upgrade and
has discovered Julia’s world. Time for our heroine to break out the four-
barreled blasters again.

Ritual describes the gameplay as TOMB RAIDER-esque: third-person
perspective with equal parts action and adventure. As with TOMB
RAIDER, the designers chose the third-person perspective to show off
their female character. But there is a more intriguing reason: Two-
handed combat will allow both ranged weapons and melee weapons
simultaneously.

"You'll be able to outfit your character with different combina-
tions of swords and guns and be able to use both at the same
time," said Project Manager Steve Hutchins. "Picture Braveheart-t^pe
slashing while wading through an onslaught of enemies. Right now
we are looking at right- and left-hand attack buttons to keep things
simple; that coupled with off-screen outfitting should reduce the
overall numbers of keys you have to learn. You’ll thank us later
when you see how many enemies you can encounter at one
time," Hutchins added rather ominously.

In addition, combat should be more grisly and realistic
than in previous games. The game's QUAKE 111 engine allows
body parts to be swapped or removed instantly, enabling such
effects as blown-off limbs, gaping holes, severed parts that still
move, and more. Expect new warnings about playing too soon
after eating when the game ships.

Sights & Sounds

There are a couple of things for which Heavy Metal is known —
both the film and the magazine — and those things tend to raise
more than a few eyebrows. Judging by the early artwork, audiences
can expect to get an eyeful in the movie, which will likely get a PG-
13 rating. Nudity in games, however, is a sensitive matter, given the
availability of games to minors. Developers are often caught in the
middle between their desire to build visually interesting games and
their need to sell those games to large retailers. What does the team
from Ritual plan to do?

Art director Rob Atkins says, "We are going to make a fun game
based around an adult movie/magazine with a sexy female hero. If we
sneak in a nipple or two here or there, I doubt that anyone will give a
shit. Wal-Mart and the other retailers are more concerned with what the
box looks like on their shelves than the content."

Heavy Metal is also known for its hard-driving soundtrack. Since
Ritual has full access to use the characters, voices, art, and music from

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ‘iUNE 1999

Heavy Metah F.A.K.K.^

Heavy Metal Links

vvww.heavy‘inetal.net

www.ritual.com

www.toiigue-zIne.com/issue/words/eastman/

SWAMP THINGS Ritual wants the game to have an organic, otherworldly look.

the movie sequel, it's likely the game will
have a kick-ass soundtrack. At press time we
were unable to obtain a complete list of
songs, but Kevin Eastman has been talking
with a number of music groups, including U2,
Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Metallica, KISS,
Sammy Hagar, Alice in Chains, and Aerosmith.

With all of the assets of the movie at its

disposal, plus the QUAKE III engine. Ritual
has a very good chance of producing a
standout game. Whether the company will
or not depends on many factors, not the
least of which is learning from the mistakes
it made with SiN. To their credit, the
designers have changed the way
they work and affirm that they

will perform whatever bug-testing is nec-
essary in the future to ensure quality prod-
ucts, We sure hope so, because if they get it
right, this game will rock in more ways
than one.

{G.O.D. feature continued on page / 13)

GROUND ZERO Julia's peaceful city will
soon be overrun with Gith invaders.

BELPHEGORIAN TROOPER
Thought-police thugs that
monitor the population for
anticorporate activities. They
patroi the slums and darker
areas of Raum to stamp out
nonconformists or zealots.

DR. ECHIDNA Tiie CEO of the
Phantom Limb Corporation as
well as head of the House
Digitorum. He is extremely imagi-
native and completely
deranged.

FLESHBINDER Fleshbinders are the number one product
made at the Phantom Limb Corporation. They are an amal-
gam of body parts and fluids of various races collected by
Gith Industries. Their purpose is to collect those who do not

Jld

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD 'JUNE 1999

luake inSimCitv iOOO ^ . wiprtai Rojmoat xviytniig
IVIetal Gear Solid Bass Fishing

Populous The 3 c- 9 i n n i n g

,|i o Pa r t y

fiionsWWflFighte’r ^SimCity3

Is Grand Inquistitor Mario Party Wario Land f
" K: H L Blade o5 vvt-.cS ,,, t

i 2 Wars Roq,. svuadron War zone 2

“ WFl '99 Close Combat 111 3D

-£L FaceOff '''99 WarZone Driver South

Terminus., - . WWFWarZo

iT ‘ R a y m a n

irt a e oifcrf'">T«*Qii

I Craft

1 % m a n d

A g e of E rh p 1 r e 5 H
Total Annihilatibn

Deer Avenger

Resident E

I "'akf? !n Battle Zone Populous The Begin, nir

« o n a a e j i ; v U n r e a 1 1 o ' ; r r‘

NHL e

^ ■- . I '

iteel Roilcage

• ' and II N'

Jej

. rt

i EverQue ,

S' i'l d f i

|S!av^^ 'Ze rG“

Z Lands

s> . ^

get hookedtup.

• ■ Park n t i
NFL Qu 4 t

R a rn fi; q

lam Fortrs's

Duke Nukem T-i
" komon Stadim

NCAA Final Fr

» a s s t > s It I i

■ ■ i ‘ O

!_ a n d e i

1 1 21 g 5 i o 1 ' < a Cl e ww v-

o,., _ .... 7, v.:.ensj5^»M out 2

5 W 1 n g A [ n a r> c e ‘ ^ m I e t' ; ■ ■:

I- ' - tor JiOSS. iA - '■

J^HL Blade oJ St -1 ■■ ' ['arG-s';-

r 1 u n d e :

L I t y JOG

S r> c (

-s Tomb K; ' I d r

s ■■ - a ‘ri

' to vy e r s 1 1 d c

‘r

u r n a n ve o

tfuLcfist Ak-.i!

o ; e i 1 1 2

Da do - .3 to

K ! I n q o n A r a d e .n

'^OTk;/ni Zero h r o

C r a i, h Bandicoot 3 Warped N H t ' ' i ci e of S
qo r f a G H L Blade of Steel . : -t:

Cool B c> a I' d ; i ■> 3 li 1 1 1 ni > s t ^ n i o

■ ■ t? M ; I 1 .1 n t e c 2 j r > .V , , o „ ,

■•LNFL ’S<?‘ ^ oO,j-i

' , ■ .Duke N'ukc'm Zero H o u d i

t". -o .i'j , .:t

S'tro.:t ■ S; t: a V '■ e r b <1 c k S ; ■ ' ■,

S t a . s ; e G o T I b .. s '

'O a WWW.GA'MEDEAIER.CONI Plione 1-800-610-261A Fdjc 1-2.12-387,8021 liiterrational I-212-35S-9100 CGW8

■■■■ ■»- r p e o Pa r r t ; c'

Go to #210 @ www.computergamlng.com/lnfolink

Rc'AlhASi

BaLbaRS

Legends of treasures lost and monsters to be defeated abound in the region. Almost all have
at least some basis in truth. Are you up to the task? Wili you return with even more fame than
you accumulated in your previous travels? Or will you journey off; never to be heard from
again-the source of your own legend, in turn...?

Continue your adventures with the character
you created in the original game.

Join up with new Jriends or meet old enemies.

More poweijul spells, talkative NPCs, and
additional enchanted items to be found.

Midtiplayer support - up to 6 pickers via
modem, LAN, or Internet.

^ www.mterplay.com/bgtales M ^

lUnMOtmriCuibeiilSIiWirtbrf. UbitiiimfVH.

INiortNiBOimunnCin. U mu Uuml. Ulw-tClli.liUr^btlttttitl>tt>Mbul.fvtiRn
ll•WMlnllifllrcln*artlriIa. Etc., IK.,Mvtne*l7tll(rtb|Mw>cMn

itH. Iiiirui. lu lurtm >•«. Hi *ti tain. >« Catn.* vi irtMirtt M UtnUf PrMKdm. Mthn. lit MWm Im.
iuMIlU UtHM M IliRMtH H llUnUl PrWKIUn. U lUr irHtMNi M (WHlU in fn|irl|

Go to #163 ® www.computergamIng.com/lnfolink

KISS: Psycho
Circus

(IiD

iGame]

The Psycho Circus
Is Coming to Town

Genre: Action
ETA: Q2 '00

Developer: Third Law Interactive

K ISS is

back with
a vengeance.

The original line-up (Gene Simmons, Ace
Frehley, Peter Criss, and Paul Stanley) is back
on the world stage, touring in the United States
and Europe and raising a new KISS army. Their
licensing army is also on the march, spinning off KISS
masks, KISS guitars, KISS Wrestling, and even a KISS com-
puter game. Is it too much? It always is; that's why it's KISSl
Now in development, the computer game — KISS, PSYCHO
CIRCUS: THE NIGHTMARE CHILD— is based on the KISS. Psycho
Circus comic book series by Todd McFarlane, the creator of
Spawn. Developer Third Law Interactive, a start-up group com-
prised of Ion Storm refugees, is using a modified version
of Monolith's Lithtech engine, which was used for SHOGO
and BLOOD 2. Third Law plans to rev the engine extensively
and throw down a hail of nasties your way,

"We're an unproven group, so we want an intense, action-
filled experience," says Sverre Kvernmo, game designer for
Third Law. Gamers will have to contend with large groups
of demon-spawn, the creations of an unborn evil that is
somehow altering reality. As the game progresses, the
gamer advances from mere mortal to a creature of godlike
powers, based on McFarlane's characterizations of The Elder (alter egos of
the members of KISS).

Gameplay will vary as you control each of the four Elders, with different
environments, powers, and challenges. You'll need to assemble the five parts of each KISS
member's costume to give you the power to defeat the Nightmare Child, since each item
holds special powers. The platform-boots, for example, will increase your jump height; the
breastplate gives you better protection, and so on. (We wonder what Gene Simmons'
tongue will do.)

Watch for this interactive oddity to come out early next year.

Rune

ITalKg]

ivikliiSI

Play Out Your
Nordic Fantasies
in Rune

Genre: Action/Adventure
ETA: Q2 '00

Developer: Human Head Studios

A dmit it, you've always wanted to put on the Viking helmet and go bash
some heads. Here's the game that will let you fight battles with Viking
weapons and explore a strange world where mythical creatures and gods
exist. You'll play Ragnarok, a 10th-century Scandinavian warrior. You venture out to
battle with warring tribes, angry gods, and giant snakes
that breathe fire. If you can stop whatever seems to be
annihilating the Viking population, you'll prove worthy of
\ entering Valhalla, the great beer hall in the sky.

RUNE is being developed by Human Head Studios,
'edmposed of former members of FASA Interactive
V and Raven Studios. For RUNE, Human Head has
teamed with Epic and is using a modified version of
the UNREAL II engine.

" "Visually we're going to be on par

^with UNREAL 11," says Human Head
biz guy Tim Gerritson, "Some of the
' features we're building in include
’ enhanced physics, more natural level design,
curved surfaces, and ambient life. We
want to make each level memorable. Our
j i^oal is to make a game that is epic in feel
jrather than scope."

/ A Gamers will be able to equip themselves
with armor and use an assortment ofViking
'' weapons, such as axes, swords, and hammers.

' Ragnarok may also have a few magic spells up
his tunic. The game will be designed with single-
j^^and multiplayer levels, so that you can cross
swords and bash skulls with your friends.

Watch for RUNE’s mystical take on action.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD •JUNE 1999

Ken Slater

8:07 a.m. |

April 9, 1999
Northbound Termii

The Faithful Shall Be Rewarded.

Coming Fall, 1999 www.pop3d.com

Goio#193 @ www.computergaming.com/infollnl(

liJilliHiMill

Experience gaming with next generation technologies from InterAct
Accessories-manufacturers of today's most advanced and dependable
controllers, speakers and accessories including Advent;,
PoweredPartners and Jensen'’ Multimedia Speakers, force feedback
racing wheels and GameShark,'“

■or the bare facts of Jensen's new multimedia sound products, visit us at www.jensenpc.com.

CREATIVE LABS
SOUNDBLASTER
LIVE!

CREATIVE LABS
SOUNDBLASTER
LIVE VALUE

Dolby Oicmi'
Support

Hardwarc

Equalizer

rhe posiliwil iD audio that

gives^ new to the ph rase

iggeslpdreuil price. 0 1999 Dleirond Multimedia Systems, Inc. All ilgliis reserved. Diamond and the Diamond logoarcieglsieied trademarks r

i of Aureal Semiconductor, Inc. Monster Sound Is a registered Iiadcmaik of Mo

Monster Sound Awards %

INMENT.

Monster Sound MX300 audio card has

No matterwhere you turn, Diamond’s new
you surrounded. Pop on your headphones

rdU

Enter the Monster Sound MX300 Sweepstakes by visiting our i
website at http://www.diamondmm.com/monstersound300 j

or plug in up to 4 speakers and Monster I
Sound renders the positional audio trapped inside
most realistic, adrenaline-pumping games. Winner of numerous awards,
it sports a 320 voice DLS compatible synthesizer and 96 independent
hardware-supported audio streams, so you’ll hear each deep rumble to
every high-pitched shriek. It also includes the award-winning Vortex2,
accelerating Aureal’s'-AsDr Microsoft DirectSound and DirectSound 3D.
which are featured in over 100 of today’s 3D games. Set up your speakers
and get a full home theater experience with Dolby Digital support. Or use
its cutting-edge MP3 software tools to download Internet music and create
your own MP3 files. Of course, you also get full support for DOS,
Windows® 95/98. and Windows NT operating systems. 1
To top it off, a variety of 3D games, DVD samples I
and MP3 clips are included. So pick up Monster

Sound today and let your ears pick up 360° of sound, Accelerate your world.

IN SEARCH OF THE ULTIMATE GAMING MACHINE

'i Unccrtaiti Future

Licensing Squabbles and USB 2.0 Announcement Cloud Horizon

by Dave Salvator

G iven its peer-to-
peer abilities, high
data rate, and rela-
tively low cost.
Firewire seems a
great candidate for someday
connecting your PC to your home
entertainment center with a sin-
gle wire. But between Apple's
greed and Intel's control fetish,
Firewire looks as though it may
suffer several serious setbacks.

Apple recently announced that
it was going to charge $1-per-
port licensing fees for the manu-
facture of Firewire application-
specific integrated circuits
(ASICs). These fees, viewed by
many industry types as excessive,
could cause the price of Firewire
(also called IEEE 1394) and

Firewire-based products to be
pushed up. As a result, Intel and
other concerned companies may
decide to engineer another ver-
sion of Firewire, called 1394B,
that dances around Apple's
patents. Apple's licensing move
also angered many in the PC uni-
verse, including industry heavy-
weights Microsoft and Compaq.
And while Apple has since
rethought its position, it’s still
unclear as to what the final
arrangement will be.

Intel muddied the waters even
further with its announcement at
the Intel Developer's Forum of
USB 2.0, which the company
claims will have a top-end data
rate of 240Mbits/sec — 20 times
the current top-end speed of
12Mbits/sec — thus making USB
2.0 potentially a more direct

competitor with Firewire. The
move marks something of a
departure for Intel, which until
recently was an avid supporter of
Firewire.

There's big money at stake
here, since the winner of this
standards war will have its prod-
uct not only in nearly every per-
sonal computer shipped (Mac or
PC) but also in many home
entertainment components,
including DVD players, amplifiers,
and TVs.

Firewire is currently better
suited to be this universal con-
nector, primarily because it's
here now but also because, as a
peer-to-peer technology, it does-
n’t need a root-hub to control all
devices on a network — a limita-
tion that USB has. At this point
USB 2.0 is little more than a

paper tiger, but unless Apple
is willing to define licensing
terms that are more reasonable,
its current stance may well
scuttle widespread adoption of
Firewire and force the computer
industry to devise an alternative,
which could take more than 18
months. B33

TNT2 Comes Out Swinging-

Last year, graphics chip rollouts were
spread pretty well throughout the year. But now,
with new chips from Matrox, S3, nVidia, and 3dfx all
shipping within weeks of one another, there's one
hell of a rumble taking shape in the marketplace.
And judging from early numbers on Diamond's Viper
770, nVidia definitely won't be accused of bringing a
knife to a gurjfight. We got our hands on final hard-
ware and beta drivers for the Viper, and what we
saw was a very fast very stable board that should
keep nVidia at or near the top of the heap.

In comparison tests against a current TNT board
using nVidia's reference drivers, as well as against

ATI's Rage Fury, theTNT2 chip clearly took no pris-
oners. In 3D GameGauge testing, the TNT2 proved to
be 40 percent faster than Rage 128, 30 percent
faster than the TNT.

Diamond has put a fan on the TNT2 chip so it
could dock the board up to 175MH2, and this 17
percent overdock certainly helps this TNT2 board
post its impressive scores. And while nVidia has stat-
ed that the standard clock speeds for TNT2 will be
1 2SMHz and 1 50MHz, Diamond's part seemed to
run cool, generating little heat.

Just for fun, we booted up GT Interactive's
POWERSUDE, a good-looking driving title; and

cranked the resolution up to
1600x1200x32, expecting theTNT2 to jjr
have a decent frame-rate. To our pleas-
ant surprise, frame-rate was still very smooth, and
image quality was very good, thanks in large part to
running at the higher resolution.

Matrox's G400 and S3's Savage4 have yet to
weigh in, but from early demos we've seen they're
going to be solid parts as well. So between these
guys, nVidia, and 3dfx, we're most likely facing a
wealth of graphics card choices this summer. As
soon as we can, we'll bring all of these guys to OK
Corral and see who's the new fastest gun.

3D GameGauge 800x600
ATI RAGE128|
RIVATNT w/Detonator driver |
Viper 770 (TNT2) |

3D WinBench 99 1024x768x16

|67.2 75.3 ^9162.2^45.1 408.7 ATI RAGE128 £

1 74.6 73.9 ’ 59 .82 ^46 462.8 RIVATNT w/Detonator driver [

88.6 7g! 2"; 126.3 ;45.7 583.2 Viper 770 (TNT2) [22

www.compulergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

“European Air War’s
outstanding gameplay and
wealth of features make it the
current leader of the WWiI simulation
crop” -PC Corner, 89%, Editor’s Choice Award

“This World War II simulation
captured the feeling of being in a
living, unpredictable combat
environment better than any
other sim released this past year”
-Computer Gaming World, 4 stars

European Air War succeeds at
providing the experience that
makes arm-chair fighter pilots
they’re truly leaving their
surroundings behind"
-Gamespot

K A C li I M (£

“No previous sim covers so
many different weapons and so
many tasks in detail... it’s all here
and it’s all beautifully executed”
-PC Gamer, 95%, Editor's Choice Award

“Falcon 4.0 is the deepest, most complex air
combat sim yet... The campaign also creates
the greatest sense of playing a small but
important part of a huge battle” -PC Gamer

“Thoughtful gameplay design and the
effort to bring players a sense of the
true fighter pilot’s experience can be
felt throughout the game”
-Computer Games Strategy Plus

“European Air War combined huge
dog fights, a great campaign system
and realistic physics to make a game
that was very hard to put down”
-IGN PC.com, Sim of the Year

“The care and attention to detail
that went into every aspect of
European Air War, from the hefty
manual to the bomber nose art,
represents a serious achievement”
. -CNET GameCeriter

1 M (z

6 1999 Hasbro Interactive Inc. Alt Rights Reserved. MICROPROSE is a registered trademark of
HASBRO INTERACTIVE or its affiliates. All other trademarks are property of their respective holders.

“Falcon 4.0 is an incredibly detailed
simulation that in many ways exceeds
training systems in military use.”
-Computer Gaming World

“Bottom line: this sets the new
standard in flight sims”
-Wos/imgton Post

Murphy's Field Day

A Lesson in Following My Own Advice

by Loyd Case

T his column was originally
going to be about nifty
little utilities I use, and
how they can help read-
ers tweak or improve
their systems. Maybe I'll
still do that one some
day. However, my
research for the column was inter-
rupted when Murphy’s Law, cou-
pled with my innate ability to
overreach, got me in big trouble.
It's such a good cautionary tale
that I can't help writing about it.

It all began with Winalign, a
little utility that ships with the
Windows 98 Resource Kit. It sup-
posedly restructures Windows
programs so that they load more
efficiently, speeding up software
loading. It sounded like a good
idea. In the help file for Winalign
was a blurb suggesting that per-
formance may not improve until
you defrag the hard drive after
running Winalign.

Meanwhile, Back
at the Ranch

I decided it was time to re-
architect my production system.
I've been wanting to get more
serious about learning 3D model-
ing and digital video, but being
the kind of person 1 am, I wanted
the production system to be the
best performing system I could
build. Although my priorities are
different from those of most users.
I'm still budget-constrained— I
couldn't go out and build a hot-
rod DV rig without wrecking my
marriage. Then I realized that the
system I use every day had an
Ultra2 SCSI controller and two
7200RPM SCSI drives. That's big-
time overkill for running Word,
surfing the Net, and playing a few
games, so I thought I'd make that
my 3D modeling learning rig. I'd
recently upgraded one of the

Ultimate Game Machines to a
Pentium 111, so I had a spare
Pentium 11/450 available. I also
had a couple of big EIDE drives
and an Intel motherboard. All I
needed was a case, a power sup-
ply, and a floppy drive.

At the same time, the no-
holds-barred rig needed a new
motherboard tray in the Inwin
tower case, as I'd successfully
stripped the screw holes on

one: Always test a new utility on
a small scale until you know
it's safe.

So, of course, when I ran
Winalign for the first time, I ran it
on the entire Program Files folder
on my main production system.

Strike one.

Rule number two: Never, ever
make multiple changes without
testing each change first.

The next thing I did was run
Norton Utilities Defrag Utility. As 1
was perusing the defrag utility, I
came across a seemingly helpful
item; the Norton Optimization
Wizard. It stated, seductively, that
my system would run better if I
optimized the swap file. So I ran
it. After a reboot, defrag came up
and started running. Note that by
now, I'd run Winalign on all my
critical applications, run the sys-
tem optimization wizard, and was
defragging the drive.

new 9GB drive. I used Ghost — a
very cool partition-copying utili-
ty — to try to copy the old parti-
tion to the new drive. There were
a number of "bad sector on read"
errors, which wasn't good news.
But the partition copy completed,
and I booted the new drive.
Explorer promptly crashed.

I did a refresh install of
Windows 98. After doing
this twice, and swearing a lot,

1 finally got a good boot. But
whenever I would right-click on
"My Computer," the system
would hang.

Finally, I gave up. 1 nuked
Windows 98 and did a clean rein-
stall, including all my applications.

Strike three, you're out.

It was a hard lesson — and
what made it worse was that I
knew what I’d done wrong. I
ignored my own rules, got a little
cocky, and ended up wasting a

Someone should have showed up on
my doorstep and told me I was nuts.

several mounting brackets. So I
thought I'd swap trays.

Did I mention it was CGW's
deadline week?

To recap. I'd decided to run
some new utilities on my main
machine, build a new system, and
swap motherboard trays on the
power rig, all during deadline
week. This is the point where
someone with some common
sense (my editor, maybe) should
have showed up on my doorstep
and told me I was nuts. My reach
was definitely exceeding my
grasp, but I didn't realize it. Then
Murphy came a-knockin'.

A Few Simple Rules...

There are some rules of thumb
that I use when tweaking or
changing systems. Rule number

Strike two.

Rule number three: Never, ever
panic or show frustration. The
gods of computing delight in tor-
turing easily frustrated users.

I had to let defrag run all night
(it takes a while to fully optimize
a 9GB hard drive). When I came
back the next morning, there was
an error message indicating that
a problem had been found with
the hard drive and that Norton
Disk Doctor or Scandisk should be
run. So I rebooted. When
Windows came up, every utility
and driver that auto-loaded on
startup crashed. So did Explorer.
My system was totally hosed. So I
rebooted to DOS and ran Scan-
disk. After about a thousand bad
sectors were uncovered, I pan-
icked. Roughly S450 later, i had a

huge amount of time. But wait,
there’s more....

Cut to Scene Two

I thought I'd take a shortcut
with the new system I was build-
ing and just boot off the Windows
98 full-install CD. At that point,
the right thing to do would have
been to copy the contents of the
\win98 folder from the CD to the
hard drive (after the drive had
been formatted) and install from
there. Instead, i ran setup direct
from the CD (after having booted
from the CD). Now, bootable CDs
are wonderful — no more boot
floppies with missing DOS dri-
vers — but they aren't perfect.
There's an annoying bug in the
Windows 98 setup process that
causes weird things to happen

rOMPUTER GAMING WORLD -JUNE 1999

/.computergaming. com

during the setup process if you
leave the CD in its bootable
state — which of course I did.
Normaily, if I'd been focusing on
just instailing this system, I would
probably have remembered that
quirk, but I was also trying to
troubleshoot my production sys-
tem and swap motherboard trays
on the big rig. After several tries, 1
remembered the problem with
the bootable CD and copied the
files to the hard drive. Then
Murphy struck again — the mouse
wouldn't work. After three instal-
lation processes and a couple of
mouse swaps, everything was
hunky-dory.

Meanwhile, the big rig was
having its own set of problems.
The tray swap went fine, but after
rebooting, the SCSI hard drives
would lock. Again, instead of
focusing on the problem, I was
also trying to install a new system
and troubleshoot my production
system. After much wailing and
gnashing of teeth. I found some
bent pins on the SCSI cable.
Roughly SI 20 in SCSI cables later,
the SCSI drives would still lock.

After a night's sleep, I remem-
bered that I'd recently done a
clean reinstall of Windows 98 on
the big rig. The ASUS P2B-LS
motherboard uses an Adaptec
7895 Ultra2 SCSI controller chip,
and Windows 98 has built-in sup-
port. But there's a bug — either in
the driver or with the motherboard
BIOS — that causes the CD drive to
get confused when you copy big
files from one hard drive to anoth-
er. Installing an updated driver
that I’d downloaded much earlier
from the ASUS Web page cured
the problem.

Mea Culpa

So here I sit. out roughly S600
in hard drives and cables, and
having had to painfully relearn
lessons that I'd learned before. So
this leads me to the last and final
rule of computing:

Rule number four: Just when
you get good enough to be arro-
gant about it, the gods of comput-
ing will make you pay.

Next time, I'll remember. Lk'iVJ

Tech Tips

I When playing first-person shooters
i^'l (UNREAL, Half-Life), my system sponta-
neously reboots. I have dual Monster 3D H's in
SLI mode, a hardware DVD decoder, a SCSI
controller card, two SCSI hard drives, a DVD
drive and a CD-R. What could be the problem?

rxn There are two possibilities. First, your
l^*i power supply may be inadequate for
the heavy load you're placing on it. Many
off-the-shelf systems from companies like
Dell and Micron come with measly 200W
power supplies. You may need to upgrade
your power supply to something beefier, like
a 300W unit.

The second problem could be heat related.
Add an additional cooling fan to the case.
You might even consider adding specialized
Voodoo! coolers. Also, clock back the
Monster ll's a bit, which could help reduce
any potential heat issues.

lA I I tried to install TalonSoft's West Front
1—^ recently in my spanking new Gateway
system, but when I try to run the game, it
keeps asking me to insert the CD. But the CD
Is in the drive! What gives?

This isn't TalonSoft's fault. TalonSoft —

I and many other game companies — are
moving to CD-ROM based copy protection
mechanisms. In some cases, we've seen
incompatibilities with certain CD-ROMs and
DVD drives. However, the Gateway problem
specifically lies with their BIOS. You need to
get a BIOS update from the Gateway Web
site and update your system. If this makes
you nervous, have a Gateway technician
walk you through the process.

]W”j Help! I just tried to download and
install Internet Explorer 5.0, and my
graphics card no longer works properly. It's a
Diamond Viper 550. Is there any way to fix
the problem?

I « I Diamond discovered a problem in cer-
l ^' l tain cases where installs of new drivers
somehow interacted with IBS. Diamond's
now got a new driver on their Web site that
fixes the problems with IBS.

lA I I recently tried to add a 3Com PCI eth-
1M*I ernet card to my system. It has an ABIT
BH6 motherboard. The system refuses to
install the drivers. How can I fix this?

® Try putting the NIC in one of the middle
three slots. The two outside slots (the
one next to the AGP slot and the other next to
the ISA slots) share IRQs. However, the 3Com
cards aren't happy about sharing IRQs.

I I have a joystick connected to my
I M *1 sound card. I just got a new, USB
gamepad. When I install them together, the
gamepad shows up as the top device in the
Game Controller Control Panel, and the joy-
stick as the second device. All my games
refuse to recognize the joystick, is there any
way to use both devices?

H Unfortunately, you may be out of luck.

In the days of DirectXS.O, there was
actually a bug in Directinput that prevented
the second joystick from being recognized -
so no games really took advantage of it.

Now, that "tradition" has continued,
although a few games are supporting multi-
ple controllers. Microsoft is trying to evange-
lize game developers to support multiple
controllers, but it may be some time.
Meanwhile, the only thing you can do is
manually move the joystick to the top slot
when you want to use it.

I have seen the terms "OEM" and
1^*1 "white box" on discounted video
cards. What do these terms mean? Is it OK to
buy these video cards?

H OEM stands for "original equipment
manufacturer, ” which is an oxymoron-
ic term that means a product was neither
manufactured by nor originated within the
company that shipped it. White box hard-
ware is essentially the same. Both terms
refer to hardware that is sold to dealers who
are theoretically supposed to build it into
whole systems. OEM hardware typically
comes without software, except for drivers.
In a few cases, it may also have fewer fea-
tures. (TV output capability is a feature often
left out of white box hardware, though not
always.) In the past, you really had to watch
out, as some white box hardware may actu-
ally be less capable and perform poorly,
despite the same name, but that's not as
prevalent. Some memory configurations may
only be available in OEM hardware (for
example, 8MB TNT boards).

Send your tech questions to Loyd at
CGW_Letters@zd.com.

k'.computergaminf'.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD * JUNE 1999

Pentium®///

HARDCORE SYSnilllS FOR HARDCORE GAMERS

Award-Winning Micron"' Millennia^ Systems. Now available with the New InteP Pentium'^ III Processor SOQMHz.

HodelNamt Millennia MAX 450

Newl

Millennia MAX 500

New!

Millennia MAX 500

RAH

Hard Drive

Honitor

DVD/CD-ROH

Hodem

Graphics

Sound System

Speakers

Warranty

Intel Pentium III processor 4SOHHi
512MlnteinaU2 cache
128MB lOOMHiSDRAH
ISGt UltraATA 66 hard drive*

17' Micron 7IXICi monitor (15.9* display)

AOX CD-ROM drive’

3Com USRobotjcsV.eDWInModem’*

IBMS Diamond Viper 550 TnT 2X AGP graphics
PCI 128-volce Wavetable sound

Intel Pentium HI processor 5Q0Mllc
SI2KBir>lcrr<al 12 cache
I28MSIQQHKC SDRAM
15GB UltraATA 66 hard drive'

17’ Micron 70
6Xmi

3ComUSRoboticsV.90WinModem”

16MB Diamond Viper 550 TnT 3X AGP graphics
PCI 12B-volce Wavetible sound
Advent AV009 l-plece speaker syslcm
5-year/3-year Micron Power*' limited warranty
3-year on-site service warranty

Intel Pentium HI processor SDOMHa
512KB Internal 12 cache
256HBI00HHZ SDRAM
IBGB 7200 RPH Ultra ATA 66 hard drive*

3Com USRobcKQV.OOWinHodem”

16MB Diamond Viper 550 TnT AGP graph la
Sound Blaster LIVE! Value audio card
Monsoon 3-plKe Hat panel speaker system
5-)ear/3-year Micron Power" Umited warranty

ce warranty

Tiaining

l-ytai Tret* training 9 Micron U online

1-yeat fret* liaintng g Micron U online

l-year free* training g Hicmn U online

Included

Microsoft’ Windows' 98

Microsolt Office 97 Small Business Edilion
Free’ Office 2000 upgrade

1-year EailhlinkTolalAccess

Microsoft Windows 98

Microsoft Office 97 SmaU Business Edition
Fret' Office 2000 upgrade

l-year Earthlink Total Access

Microsoft Windows 98

Microsoft Office 97 SmaU Business Edition

Free* Office 2000 upgrade

Norton AnCiVinis

l-year Earthlink Tolal Access

Also Includes:

Minitower case

Microsolt Intel lIMouse'

3.5* floppy drive

MlniTowercase

104-key enhanced keyboard

3.5* floppy drive

104-kcy enhanced keyboard

Microsoft IntelllMouse

3.5* floppy drive

SupetOisk 15-120

Factory

Direct

Price

$0 AQQ'S6/mo.

Perscnal

» PaymenlPlan

ASmos.i

$0 OQQ ’65/mo.

Payment Plan

$9 9QQ ’89/m(j,

Personal

• Payment Plan

48 mos.i

Upgrade to:

17” Micron Trinitron (16* display) monitor

6X mai speed DVD-ROM drive'”

Upgrade to:

19* Micron Trinitron (18* display) monitor
20GB Ultra ATA 66 hard drive*

Upgrade to:

22G6 Ultra ATA 66 hard drive*

Sony CD R/RW (Recordable/ReWritable)'"

Factory

Direct

Price

$9 9QQ ’62/mo.

Personal

^ Payment Plan

48mEis.‘

$9 77Q r/B/mo.

^ ^ Personal

' PaymenlPlan

$9 CQQ 'lOO/mo.

Personal

• Payment Plan

Breakthrough Prices on Powerful Millennia Desktops.

If you live for gaming, you owe it to yourself to play on the
very best - the Micron Millenni|, Everything about these
speedsters Is designed to maximize power, minimize cost,
and give you the competitive edge. The Millennia offers
Intel's latest Pentium III processor, NSTL Y2K certification, and
one-year subscription to Micron University, an incredible n

online training tool offering over one hundred free* online
classes, seminars and self-pacod tutorials. Plus, you'll
receive Micron's free* upgrade to Microsoft Office
2000. When you choose Micron, you're getting more
than a powerful system - you're joining the gaming elite. So, if you
want to play hard, play on a Micron.

MICZRON

■ ELECTRONICS

RD©®7 ^®®Ds

CONFIGURE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND ORDER DIRECT AT

WWW.MICRONPC.COM OR CALL 1-888-669-0969

COMPOniEMT

PRODUCT

PRICE

THE SKIIUniY

Motherboard

ASUS P2B-LS

S350

And it's cheaper than a standalone Ullra2 SCSI card.

CPU

Pentium II/450

S60S

It's the top of the heap, for now.

Memory

256MB CASJ2 Corsair PC100 SDRAM

S570

Just think, a quarter-gigabyte.

Disk Controller

Buiit-in Uitra2 SCSI

SDMB/sec.

Primary Graphics

Hercules Dynamite TNT

$139

Stability, speed, and cooling.

Secondary Graphics

QuantumBD Obsidian X24

$349

The ultimate, single-slot Voodoo^ card.

Floppy Drive

Teat

$20

You still have to have one.

Hard Drive

Seagate Cheetah 18

$9SS

It’s big, it's fast, it's loud. ..two out of three ain't bad.

Sackjp

iomega Jaz 2

$325

2GG of backup.

Hard-Drive Cooler

APS Technologies drive cooler

$40

Cool it. babv-

CD-ROM

Pioneer 6x SCSI OVD

$249

New Pioneer slot-drive DVD

Monitor

Sony FSOO

$1,750

Perfectly flat. Just perfect.

Primary Audio

Diamond Monster Sound MXBOO

$69

For four-speaker DirectSound, A3D, and EAX.

Speakers

LFT-1 1

$500

Beautiful Imaging, dean sound.

Rear-Charnel Speakers

Jamo CS-5

$500

Ultimate rear-channel powered speakers.

Modem

Copper Rocket DSL modem

$400

DSL at last.

Networking

Built-in Intel lOnoO Ethernet chip

for fragging my buddies.

Case

In-Win Q500 lull-tower ATX

$115

New improved model.

Power Supply

Tuibocool 300

$129

More power, Scottv!

Keyboard

Logitech Newtouch

$45

In with the Newtouch, out with the Natural.

Mouse/Pointing Device

Logitech Cordless Wheel Mouse

$59

Off the leash...

Action Game Controller

ThruslMaster Fusion Digital

$25

Comfortable USB gamepad.

Flight Joystick

ThrustMaster F22 Pro

$129

It iusi feels right.

Throttle

ThruslMaster TQS

$115

More control than anyone needs.

Rudder Pedals

ThrustMaster Elite RCS

$79

Nearly perfect foot placement.

Driving Controls

ECCI CDS 4000

$1,129

For the serious sim driver.

LEAN S, MEAN

$ 8,666

COMPOMEMT

PRODUCT

PRICE

THE SKinilUY

Motherboard

Abit BX6 rev 2.0

$139

Five PCI slots, Softmenu, 440SX — ready lor Kalmai.

CPU

Celeron/400

$165

Effectively the same as a PII/400.

Memory

64MB Corsair PCI 00 SDRAM

$121

The only thing better would be 126MB.

Disk Controller

Built-in UDMA/33

Primary Graphics

Hercules Dynamite TNT

$139

Stability, speed, and cooling.

Secondary Graphics

Guillemot Maxiqamer2

$99

Voodoo^ lor those Glide games.

Floppy Drive

Teac

$20

Still gotta have IL

Hard Drive

Maxtor 4320 8.4GB

$175

Fast and now more affordable.

CD-ROM/DVD

Pioneer DRU-704

569

36x and cheap to boot.

Monitor

OptlauestV9S

$485

Solid 19-inch monitor at a budget price.

Prf maty Audio

Diamond Monster Sound MX300

$89

A3D and clean audio for under a C-notc.

Secondary Audio

Speakers

Yamaha YST-M28s

$60

The best damn $60 speakers. Period.

Modem

Diamond Supra 56e

$106

Solid performance, good price.

Networking

Case

Elan Vital T10-AB

$82

FJiecase lor upgraders.

Power Supply

Built-in, 235W

Keyboard

Logitech Newtouch

$45

In with the new, out with the Natural.

Mouse/Pointing Device

Logitech PS/2 Wheel Mouse

$18

Mote frames per second???

Game Controller

ThrustMaster Fusion Digital

$25

Solid USB gamepad

TOTAL:

The Fine Print: All recommendations based on actual evaluations. I

Prices listed are average low quotes from Web price search engines like www.coniputershopper.com and www.pricewatch.com. You can also
check prices at online stores like www.necx.com, www.esc-tech.com, and www.buycom.com. — Lists compiled by Dave Salvator and Loyd Case

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

y.compulergaming.(

Gratuitous Violence is 200 Times
Faster With a D-Link Network
Than With Online Games.

To get the Maximum performance out of
a multi-user game, get off the Internet
and get on a D-Link lO/lOOMb Fast Ethernet Network. Up to 200 times
faster than the Internet, and 10 times faster than other legacy
networks. Ea^ to set up and install, a D-Link 10/100 Network In A Box
comes with everything you need to build a Windows 95/98 Network.

Prices and Specifications are subject to change without notice. D-Link is a registered trademark and DFE-905 is a trademark of
D-Link Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners. ©Copyright 1999 D-Link Systems Inc. All rights reserved.

Go to #265 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

O'FFICIAL
NEWS UPDATE

The First Pro Sports League for the Computer earning Crowd

tea "* tw l I wM IT PajalMHil

jits Suyl'fi^s '"i'I'd'Xl: Urns fE pkiy
I 'iviki -my ■snmittor

Uui/a 'Wrai'-' j'Ju-imT

Un Jill 'implltoB''' j'jJuuj-'u

IdJjiJJujjjjja “apm*“ Vabaj/

;8fl<3®n 3 limtJfetJ (afcH

Vatj-'jiii “lOMMiln-Einrai" bJtaiJoJiiS^in

IdJjj-'iBtuiij'jaj-' ‘VlllaMS'-" Vajja
EmBditmms Anxl'O'&sr, M-as>d.

IoiMbu;

Wijj/jja “Soso'" bijiujjjj

I MtasUan'SylHrirLBmi^ jK

p'omks'mm; Mk&idicmgti, Ontario, 'Tawrus^''^ tJjjiuj

El4k'1hMPMleH*''%|WOP “—MWABiBl—i." idi

^GLIDE

[ Logitech i

. OVER

$250,000

IN CASH
AND PRIZES!

To Sign Up,
or For More Info,
Co To :
utiMM<.pgLcom

Here’s a eojnplete list of; tlt0Ji6.smv^omctihfi^ '.09; Regular Season, v^fyo wilt
be battiing tortaiim and tiniijifiteidtdts vnem^ns eftan^wns^ tew tk^^ifk,

Hircwn i/n, For interviews, and $iU bl^i cf&U ij6 tinamts, along; i^itb leadh ot etb^r Intie

r\vt -th/f liiiiio, *r\n dilimnt/ntd^'n.ihTSii Hve* 'DtZT' '\A/ht\ iiiiffA F'

on the Upe &pvins *99 ehmwMnshkp% Wisdli^ out this PGL. Web iite at;

ATA15:Li^ATT

ll^'DVEMl

Mfvtt the risht, in Its sole discretion, to modify this

.camnuteraamlna.cnm/infolink

REVIEW • KDS VSF15 FLAT-PANEL DISPLAY

Flat 'n' Noisy

by Dave Salvator

A flat-panel display is quite
likely in your future. The
question is, when? We've
seen so-called 15-inch flat
panels (whose viewable
area is more on par with a
17-inch CRT monitor) hitting the
streets for under SI ,000, and as
these prices continue to drop, flat-
panel starts to look more appeal-
ing. But look before you leap.

COMPUTBR^

GAMING

-WORLD

PROS; Painless installation; integrated
power/signal cable; decent image quality
in games.

CONS: Severeiy noisy display on test
patterns: blurred text in Windows 98 and
text-mode display.

Price: $850 (street)

MenulaciLiet: KDS Technologies

Because of bandwidth limitations,
analog flat-panel displays' image
quality is often inferior to that of
their CRT counterparts. One such
example is KDS' newVSFlS dis-
play. Its image quality is decent in
games but not up to snuff for
Windows 98 and command-
prompt viewing.

The VSF1 5 is a breeze to install,
and its power cord and VGA signal
cord are integrated into a single
strand, making for less behind-the-
PC clutter, The VSFl 5 is a piug-and-
play monitor, and Windows 98 rec-
ognized it on boot-up.

The first sign of trouble came
when the onscreen display (OSD)
information reported the unit was
displaying 1 024x768x1 6 at 70Hz
refresh rate. This is a letdown
because most CRTs can easily dis-
play 1 024x768x1 6 at 85H2. Four
OSD buttons are mounted on the
back, forcing you to have to feel
around, braille-style, in order to
tweak the monitor's settings.

The first visual glitch I noticed
was that onscreen text in Windows
98 was blurry and often shadowed.
The effect got worse when I
brought up a DOS command-
prompt window. While running the
VSFl 5 through a series of monitor
test patterns, I encountered a lot of
visible "noise" that looked similar

to what you get on TV when a sta-
tion isn't tuned in correctly. Color
photographic test images (24-bit)
fared better, looking pretty good at
times in spite of some flaws.

The news for games is better.
HALF-LIFE, JANE'S \A/WII FIGHTERS,
and VR BASEBALL 2000 all looked
pretty good, though even there 1
occasionally saw shadow effects
caused by the display.

Flat panels are still in their
infancy on the desktop. Digital flat-
panel displays will go a long way
toward solving analog’s current
shortcomings, but until a final
standard is hammered out, the
choices for digital flat-panel tie
you to graphics chipsets that you
as a gamer probably won't want.

In the meantime, KDS' offering is
passable for games, but for that
same money you could get a 21-
inch CRT (if you've got the desk
space) and have enough dough
left over to pick up two new
games as well,

Fearless warrior.

Powerftil, chiseled, god-like |

Experienced forester.

Strikes fear into the heart of
most hardened villain.

Sleeps with one eye open.

Brooding. Mysterious. Intense.

Known to many as Ray the Beheadcr.

Wit and intelligence charm townspeople
and defeat enemies.

Willing to give life in the fight against the dragon.
Raw anim^ maanetism makes nin

I magnetism
popular with the wenches.

him quite

REVIEW • APPLE WVACINTOSH G3

Mac Gaming Revivalist

A Solid Performer, but Not Without Drawbacks

by Dave Salvator

ecentiy, CGkl' ringmaster
i Johnny Wilson opined
I that the Mac was on
I the comeback trail. I'm
sure many of you initial-
ly reacted the same way
1 I did by asking, "Okay,

I what has Wilson been

about G3 is its case design. The
side of the case opens like an
3ven door, and the main board is on
the door, making add-ln card
and even eventual
new motherboard
installs a snap.
Kudos are in

smoking, and can 1 have some?"
But Apple has indeed been revived
by iMac sales, which at last report
were still going strong, and after
pounding on a new G3, I'm here to
report that Apple's got a pretty
good gaming box on its hands.

Basically, a Well-Hung iMac

The new G3 touts Apple's now-
standard sleek design, but the
improvements go much deeper
than its case. The new G3 has an
available 400MHz G3 PowerPC
CPU and a built-in ATI Rage 1 28

COMPUTER^

GAMlMCi

. WORI-D

PROS: Great case design; solid perfor-
mance; OpenGL compatibility; less
experisive than past Macs.

CONS: Still pricey compared to PCs;
cheesy hockey-puck mouse; lacks AGP;
game support Is still Iffy.

3D SUPPORT: 3D Rave, OpenGL.

Price: S3. 500 as tested
Manufaclurer: Apple Computer

graphics chipset — not bad. It also
sports other cool features like
FireWire, USB, Ethernet, and Ultra-
SCSI 2 storage components.

But the news from Cupertino
isn't all good. Despite getting more
right than ever, Apple has still left a
few things out of the G3s. The obvi-
ous omissions include a modem, a
floppy disk drive, a pair of stereo
speakers, and a
decent mouse and
keyboard.

I'm writing this
review on the G3,
and as with its kid
brother the iMac,
the only way I can
transfer the text
from this machine
to my usual rig is
to email it to
myself. Apple worked very hard to
drive down cost on these G3s, and
to its credit, the baseline 300MHz
system starts at around
$2,000, including monitor,

But come on, Apple, be it
ever so pedestrian, users
still need removable media
built into the system.

The 8.5.1 version of the
MacOS has several inter-
face improvements; Internet
configuration is easier, for
example. But it's still miss-
ing a game-controller control panel.

Many game controller makers,
including ThrustMaster, are making
Mac drivers for their USB devices,
so there are some decent options
out there. But getting them work-
ing isn't as easy as it should be.

Gotta Call That Progress...

Apple has finally pulled its head
out of its. . .umm. . .out of the sand
when it comes to gamers, and the
G3 sends the message loud and
clear. Apple's gaming woes are no
longer hardware-related. But the
Mac platform is still dogged by
game scarcity — mostly due to past

Apple strategies, which frequently
left game developers in the lurch. If
Apple wants to be any kind of play-
er in the "consumer market space,"
it needs to realize that its future is
inextricably linked to gaming.

Steve Jobs recently stated that
Apple's new mantra is "games,
games, games." Let's hope that
the company has the wherewithal
to translate this new mantra into
sustained action.

So, Should I Buy One?

The 400MHz Mac G3 we tested
comes in at $3,500. Meanwhile,
Dell's latest 500MHz Pentium III
rig comes in at only $2,000.
Gamers have to ask themselves if
the aforementioned trade-offs,
coupled with the wait for top-shelf
Mac games, is worth a 75 percent
price-tag premium for their next
system? The answer, more than
likely, is no.

s n the performance front, the G3
a solid contender. Between
^ its 400MHz G3 PowerPC CPU
and its ATI Rage 1 28 chipset, this
machine Is ready to rumble. Although I
couldn't get Apple or ATI to confirm, I've
heard that the Rage 128 chip Is being
clocked at 75MHz, which, given Rage
128's twin-pipeline design, yields a peak
fill rate of 150MPixels/sec — the equiva-
lent of about one and a half Voodooes.

Running ZD's MacBench, this G3
was solid across the board, and the
Rage 128 rips through MacBench's
graphics tests. Turning to games, we
ran MACQUAKE's three TimeDemos
and compared the results to the RIVA
TNT-based STB Velocity 4400's QUAKE

numbers (in our March Issue). We
tested the Velocity 4400 on a Pentium
II 400MHz with 128MB of system
memory, so the test systems are com-
parable. Unfortunately, MACQUAKE only
runs at 640x480, which these days is
pretty low-res, but G3 posted an aver-
age of 65.8fps. The Velocity 4400, on
the other hand, running at 800x600,
posted a frame-rate of 74.5.

There's no provision for disabling
V-sync in G3's Rage 1 28 driver, so moni-
tor refresh may have slowed the G3
somewhat. But still, in this case, the PC
outpaced the G3. But to be fair, other
games, including UNREAL, TOMB RAIDER
II, MYTH II, and DARK VENGEANCE, all
looked good and played well.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

REVIEW • SGRL TITAN'S SPHERE CAWIE CONTROLLER

Dreams Die Hard

by Loyd Case

T he Holy Grail for today's
controller makers seems to
be to develop the perfect 3D
game controller. Unfor-
tunately, the Titan's Sphere
isn’t it.

When I first saw prototypes
of this unique 3D game controller,
it looked promising. The way the
controller worked resembled

COMRUTER ' 1

PROS: Standard four-axis analog
controller; funky looks.

CONS: Button placement almost forces
accidental presses; calibration is a royal
pain; steep learning curve.

Price: S130
Uanufaciurer; SGRL

controllers used for Waldos
(those robotic controllers used
to handle highly radioactive
materials). The grips fit
comfortably in your hand,
and the whole affair rests in
your lap. Additionally, the
Titan's Sphere is very easy to
configure — it operates like a
standard, four-axis, four-button
Windows controller (which
means it also works in DOS).

In practice, it's quite awkward
to use. This first becomes appar-
ent when you try to calibrate it.
Due to the sculpted grip and the
button placements, it's damn near
impossible to calibrate the thing
without accidentally pressing a
button. Pressing a button in the
middle of calibrating a Windows
game controller jumps the control
panel to the next step.

Once you get past that process,
you move to gameplay, where the
awkwardness continues.

In some games,
the Titan's Sphere seems quite
natural— BAHLEZONE and
DESCENT II come to mind. But
even in those cases, it took a good
half an hour to get comfortable.
After extended gameplay the
sculpted grips became slippery
with sweat. Additionally, my arms

got pretty tired —
even though the
controller rests in
your lap, there's a
tendency to pick it
up as you’re
trying to
rotate the
grips. Button
placement is
awkward,
too — it
increases the
chances of
pressing but-
tons at just the
wrong time. On
some other games —
notably 3D shooters like QUAKE
II — the controller is hopeless.

So if you're looking more for a
conversation piece than a great
controller, the Titan's Sphere may
be your bag. But don't expect to
become a great 3D game player
with it.

Devoted monk. T

Servant of the light. - -

Walks through me valley of death

■with a broatlsword.

Charismatic faith healerwhose personal charm
wields enormous power. .

; Sought out for his wisdom and loving kindness.”
^ Held in reverence by all who cross his path.

; Dogmatic about saving souls from the. .

) dragon and the devil. . .

Greatest triumph: releasing an entire
villagc“from an evil spell.

■: O.nce stayed 30 lizardmen. And it was good.

' Vow of celibacy tested daily due to the effect his
^otherworldly sex appeal has on the womenfolk.

IF YOU WANT TO
FRAG IN 16.7 MILLION COLORS
TURN ON THE

"ATI totally proved 3Dfx
wrong by showing 32>bit
rendering can be done
without a performance hit..."
www.gamersdepot.com

...VOO 000 3 3000

I Not Supported

IHAMOHD MONSTER FUSION IBANSHEE)

I Not Supported

Why play in 64,000 colors
when RAGE FURY delivers
sinfully fast 32-bit color
rendering without
compromising 3D frame
rate performance

Packing 32MB of memory,
RAGE FURY gives you the
fastest 128-bit 3D graphics
accelerator available today

Featuring hardware DVD
video acceleration and
TV-out for big screen gaming

Supports ATI-TV WONDER,
the TV tuner add-on board

Check out www.atitech.com
for history-making news on
RAGE FURY and the latest
32-bit true color 3D games

REVIEW • VIEWSONIC PT795 MONITOR

Perfectly Flat and Nearly Perfect

by Loyd Case

ace it, monitors are just not
sexy. But if there ever couid
be a sexy monitor, the
PT795 wouid qualify.

This new 19-inch monitor
from veteran manufacturer
ViewSonic is a member of the
new generation of "perfectly flat"
displays. Although it uses a (rela-
tively) standard aperture grill
tube, the PT795 achieves its flat-
ness by first adding a layer of
COMPUTER^

wo R L D

PROS: Ultra-fiat screen, bright image,
high bandwidth.

CONS: Pricey.

Price: S875 (estimated street price)
Manufaaurer: ViewSonic

glass that optically corrects the
underlying curved image — it’s
essentially a weak lens, Flat
glass is then added on top of
the curved glass, and that's what
you see. At first glance, the dis-
play appears almost concave,
because we're all used to seeing
curved images.

You'd think that adding two
layers of glass like this would dis-
tort the underlying picture, but
during image quality tests, the
only defect I could find was a
bit of corner moire distortion.
Color registration was pre-
cise and the overall image
quality was sharp.

To sweeten the pot,

ViewSonic adds a USB hub to
the PT795. There's a slight
twist, though. In addition to
registering a standard USB hub,
Windows 98 also finds a "USB
Human Interface Device." In
other words, the hub is an active

device. It enables ViewSonic's
monitor control software, which
allows you to set up the monitor
more easily than if you used
onscreen displays (although it
was unavailable fortesting).
However, at least one game with
a subtle Directinput bug crashed
on startup — until the monitor's
USB hub was disconnected from

the PC. Most games shouldn't
have this problem, however, and
the hub worked great with several
USB game controllers. The PT795
also has a high bandwidth and
can support an 87Hz refresh rate
at 1 600x1 200; it maxes out at
1920x1440 resolution.

So if you can afford its hefty
price tag, then the PT795 is a gor-
geous display that will do justice
to any of today's graphically
intensive games.

lavishing sorceress.

6-22^34.

ntuitive, intelligent, and deadly.

*erfcct physical specimen.

.egs inspire lust in knights, rogues.

.nd warriors.

Jses powers for good, not evil,
lebukes all suitors,
iamcsses rtiagic energy through communion.
/Vill morph into a werewolf if provoked,
nterests include decoding secret messages
ind experimenting with arcane spells.
Meditation promotes luminous complexion.
Maintains girlish figure with daily swordplay.

phoio; Michael Fake

From MicroProse, the originator, come the greatest advances in Civilization yet.

•Three Epic Games: The Original, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi. races on the surface in an epic battle of fantasy and magic.

• Players interact on all sides, even above and below, •Science transforms reality as you begin on a terran planet

through linked, multi-layered worlds for new challenges, before you colonize the moon, the abandoned space station,

new strategies, and new dangers. and the deadly gas giant in the futuristic Sci-Fi game.

•The Fantasy game may start you within the earth’s bowels,
high in the clouds, or beneath the sea, interacting with the

• And you can still play the classic Civilization II, now
extended into the unknown with new challenges and perils.

11959 Hasbfo iniersciive

In stores August 1999

c. An Righis Reser\'si) MICROPROSE is a irademarK of KasOro tnieiaciivo or tis alliliaios. All alhet irademarlis ai

ne property of Iheir respective holders.

^3 PROSE

REVIEW • PIONEER DVD-103S DRIVE

6x Slot Drive Sizzles

by Loyd Case

S nap! Doh!

These were the sounds
made when I leaned
against a PC with an open
CD-ROM drive not long
ago. It was the sound of
the CD tray breaking, and it
meant shelling out money for
another CD drive, a trip to the
store, and some time spent with a
screwdriver. That's why I really like

^WORI-P I

PROS: Fast DVD and CD-ROM; slot-
loading.

CONS: More expensive than a standard
CD-ROM.

Price: $125 (esiimaied street price)
Manufactjrer: Pioneer

slot-loading CD-ROM drives. With
one of these, all you do is slip the
CD into the front slot {much like
a car CD player), and the drive
sucks the CD in. There is no pro-
truding tray to break off (or to
serve as a place to put my coffee
while I work).

Now Pioneer is shipping a low-
cost slot drive— the DVD-1 03S —
that delivers a sizzling 6 x DVD-
ROM speed and acts as a 32x CD-
ROM drive to boot. In CD
WinBench 99 testing, the drive
posted a score of 1,430. easily
outpacing the Creative Labs 5x
DVD drive that we reviewed sev-
eral issues ago. The Pioneer's
access time was better, too, at a
quick 90.4ms.

Pioneer's drive comes in two
flavors, EIDE (with Mode 4 DMA
support) and Ultra SCSI, so you
even have a choice of interfaces
(we tested the EIDE drive). It may

be hard to find the bare drive, but
resellers like HiVal carry the drive
as a part of a DVD kit (check out
www.hival.com).

If you think DVD drives are
slow when it comes to running
your game CDs, think again. The
current third-generation DVD

drives are more than fast enough
for CD-ROM chores, and you get
the added bonus of DVD. LK'i 'J

•Fully vO characters
and environ nrcni

.SimulttMicous
conlrol of 2
characters

•Random Quest
Generator
eivsures maximum
playability-

•Manual camera
control allows
you to rotate 360
degrees and
zoom in and out

•too different
enemies based
on -^0 different
characters

•22 weapons
32 spells

•Supports muiii-
player mode

Jcvclopcd b\
Dcipliinc
ioftwArc Inc.

)Bid faremdl
pur former self.

Enter the world of Darkstone and leave
your identity at the door. Surviving this '
mediaeval world, living under the shadow
of a nefaiious dragon, will require
nothing l&s than a complete transfor-
meytion. As a knight, monk, thief, or
..sorcereiv you will creep through dun-
' gecins, explore towns and wilderness,
and .slay armies of nasty enemies on'
your quest to collect the seven orbs,
that -can defeat your firebreathing
' nemesis, 'Look deep inside yourself;
Is there a dragon slayer within?

.'L .

photo: Michael Falcc

DEMONSTRATION # 2 -.

1 Tear out your old sound card.

2 Smash into pieces.

3 Toss over your shoulder.

► The sound those pieces make when they hit the ground atlaroundyou is you is the
powerof A3D from Aureal, the only audio that works the way your ears do.

That’s why leading sound card vendors, such as Diamond. TerraTec. Turtle
Beach, and Xitel, are using Vortex audio technology from Aureal, the only 3D
audio accelerator that supports industry leading A3D positional audio technology.

You can also find A3D positional audio on computer models from the industry's
leading PC manufacturers.

Audio based on Aureal technology is awesome. But don’t take our word for it.
Believe Your Ears. Check out A3D at your local retailer.

BELIEVE YOUR EARS"*

Visit us at www.A3D.com

01996 Aureal Semiconductor. Inc. A30 and Aureal are trademarks of Aureal Semiconductor Inc. Other trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

FREMIERI

How Do We Rate?

Quote o' the Month

I’m ready for my neural implant now. Crack open my skull and
stab that little microprocessor deep into my meduila oblongata.
At least as some unholy union of man and machine I’ll actually
be able to play HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC III my every waking
hour. — Robert Coffey

CG EDITORS’ CHOICE GAMES

C6 DNTORS' CHOICE CAMES H

Army Men 2

**T

143

1 EA Superbiko

A * A * Ar

16S

Extreme G2

151

1 Heroes of Might & Magic III

A A A A A

170

Imperialism II

AAAA

173

Microsoft Golf 99

AAA

169

1 Starslege

A A A A A 157

Turok 2

AAA 149

Wages of SiN

A A A < 151

ik -k -k

Average

Either an ambi-
tious design
with major
flaws, or just
vanilla.

k k k k k

Outstanding

The rare game
that gets it
all right.

A must-play
experience.

NASCAR Revolution * t 162

North vs. South

Resident Evil 2

www.computergaming.com

k kk'n

Very Good

Worthy of your
time and
money, but
there are
drawbacks.

★ ★

Weak Seriously
lacking in play
value, poorly
conceived, or
just another
clone.

Abysmal The

rare game that

gets it all

wrong.

Pathetic.

Coaster

material.

iimm

Buil^
xn empire
from the Comfort
Of Your
Omuflome

♦ Beautiful graphics - high resolution

3D rendered graphics and environments

♦ Play at your own pace - turn based gameplay
and combat allows you to set the pace

♦ Easy to use interface - simply designed

to get you up and playing within minutes

♦ Huge fantasy world to explore

and dominate ^ three different campaigns,
and over 20 single scenarios

♦ Over 150 different combat units to control '

8 different troop types, all with upgrades
and ciistomizations

♦ Enhanced multi-player support - play
with up to 7 other players on one computer,
or through a LAN or Internet connection

www.heroes3.com

OlV'^'JThe 3DO Company. All riphis reM'i vcd, New World Coinpmiiiij. Heroes of Miulu and Mnpie, 3nO, and iheir respective lopos,
lire Irudemorksor reitislered triidemiirks of The 3DO Companv in the U.S. and/or oilier count Hes. All other trademarks nnd/or
trade names belonp to their n-speelivc owners. New World C'omiiiiliiiH is a division ofThe 3DO Companv.
'Scplcmberlssueof Computer Ganiinu World. Top 100 Chart

3D0

Go to #093 @ www.computerganilng.com/infolink

ARMY MEN II

REVIEW

Battle Fatigue

The Return of the Other Little Green Men

by Tom Chick

A cute concept that was
not fully fleshed out, the
first ARMY MEN placed
the little plastic figures
from our childhoods in
real environments: actu-
al forests and canyons
rather than the carpeted
staircases and backyard flowerbeds
that were the killing fields of our
youth. Aside from featuring the
occasional puddle of melted plas-
tic, the game almost completely
wasted its theme. ARMY MEN II
continues this disappointing tradi-
tion by making only a few half-
hearted nods to the true milieu of
these little green men — the imagi-
nary battlefields of our childhood
bedrooms, our dens, and our
neighborhood yards.

There are some clever maps set
on places like kitchen counters and
model tables. But these levels are
too few and far between, serving
as interludes between dull real-
world environments. The develop-
ers of ARMY MEN II just don't seem

COMPUTBR' 1

PROS: Much bet-
ter than the first
ARMY MEN; some
good maps and
power-ups; fun,
flexible multiplayer
gaming.

CONS: Still misses
the point; nonexistent Al; poor control of
friendly troops.

DIFFICULTY: Easy.

REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 90. t6M6
RAM, 1 BOMB hard-drive space.

30 SUPPORT: None

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT; IPX, TCP/IR
serial, modem, HEAT, and Mplayer (2-4
players); 1 CD per game.

Price; S39.95

GETTING THE SCOOP Make sure the parking brake is set on the
backhoe before your troops fall into formation.

aren't useful as anything other
than Keystone Cops-style body-
guards: They cluster around you
and shuffle nervously, occasionally
attacking enemies in range.

Luckily, gameplay in ARMY MEN
II is primarily a matter of charging
headlong at the enemy, because
the limited choice of commands
that you've got at your disposal
doesn't lend itself to many tactical
options. It would have been nice to
be able to split your men into sep-
arate groups to cover a wider
range of terrain, but there's no
telling what these little bubble-
headed troopers will do when left
to their own devices. Give them a
destination and sometimes they'll
simply stop halfway there. ARMY
MEN II could be accused of poor
pathfinding if it actually got
around to that more often.

In fact, ARMY MEN II has no real
Al.The enemy reactions are either
scripted, or they trigger when you
enter an activation radius. You can
set up multiplayer games against
the computer, but the Al simply
amasses troops and makes a bee-
line for its objective. Perhaps even
more disappointing is that the mul-
tiplayer games can be played only
on real-world maps.

Fortunately, ARMY MEN is still a
good multiplayer game with a
strong online following. It offers
several fun variations on Capture
the Flag and a long list of option
toggles. Multiplayer matches in the
first game were almost fatally
flawed by powerful air strikes and
paratroopers, but in ARMY MEN II
these attacks can be effectively
trumped with antiaircraft guns.

Is it worse to completely miss
the point of a game concept (ARMY
MEN) or to tease players by not
taking full advantage of it (ARMY
MEN II)? At least 3D0 is moving in
the right direction. At this rate,
ARMY MEN III should be the game
we're waiting for.

to understand that this game is at
its most interesting when the little
green men play in our world.

The single-player campaign is a
curious mix of arcade action and
sometimes frustrating map puzzles.
There are some fun touches, like
magnifying glasses that fry ene-
mies with focused sunbeams, and
suicide troops with M80 firecrack-
ers strapped to their backs. There
are also bits of humor, particularly
the riffs on Apocalypse Now. But
these feel more like diversions than
the meat of the game, which is a
silly story about warring plastic
factions in an alternate universe.

The maps are much bigger and
more interactive than in the first
ARMY MEN, allowing you to burn

trees, enter buildings, and destroy
objects that aren't hard-coded
obstacles. But there are problems:
The graphics have a rough, low-res
look that hasn't come very far
since the last game.

The logic of the action also
seems somewhat flawed: Your
troops can't so much as crawl over
a butter knife, and a simple mush-
room proves to be impervious to
mortar fire, bazookas, and
flamethrowers. The result is that
many of the maps seem to be little
more than glorified mazes.

Full-Plastic Jacket

Although it appears to have pre-
tensions to real-time strategy,

ARMY MEN il is very much an
action game
along the lines
of CONTRA or
RETURN FIRE.
You take direct
control of an
infantryman
whose gravelly
voice makes
Clint Eastwood
sound shrill.
Although you
can command
other troops,
they really

www.cornputergaming.com

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD»JUNE 1999

the secret hides.

the truth consumes

In a time of chaos, in a city on the brink of destruction, only you can discover the truth.

An RPG / Strategy game. Coming this Fail.

:^BTROPOFJ!

llNTeRAcTm

www.lith.com

Odium and the “M" logo are trademarks of Monolith Productions,
Go to #139'@ www.computergamlng.coin/lnfollnk

RESIDENT EVIL 2: PLATINUM EDITION • REVIEW

Zombie Jamboree

They're Dumb, They're Ugly, and They're Hell-bent on Eating Your Brains!

KNEE-DEEP IN THE DEAD Well, ankle-deep at least Helping zombies return
to their more traditional, nonambulatory dead state is all In a day's work
for cop Leon Kennedy.

by Jesse Hiatt

R esident evil 2 v/ill

probably stand as one
of the best console
games of the 20th cen-
tury. Too bad this isn't a
console magazine.

More than a few
developers who've
passed through our offices have
readily admitted their debt to the
horror classic; however, those same
developers have been able to com-
plete their entire production cycles
in the time it took Capcom to
release this port.

RESIDENT EVIL 2: PLATINUM
EDITION is going to have trouble
competing with all those more
advanced made-for-PC titles. But
RE2 is still a game worth playing, if
only for its solid gameplay, its
strange Japanese translations, and
its wacky humor.

RE2 takes place in a universe so
faithful to the plot conventions of
the classic Night of the Living
Oead movies that you could
almost consider the game an unli-
censed adaptation. Both are slim
on characters and sets but are def-
initely thick with drama, tension,

COMPUTER' 1

CSAMIN^

PROS: Plays
exactly like the
console game.

CONS: Plays
exactly like the
console game.

DIFFICULTY:
intermediate.

REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 166, 24MB
RAM, 260MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT: Direa 3D, Direct Draw,
MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT; None.

Puce; $34.95

Publisher; Capcom Enetialnmeni

and humorous B-movte dialogue.
RE2 uses ail these techniques to
great effect.

Twitch and Shout

Most of the gameplay centers
on key hunts and puzzles, but
along the way there is a lot of
zombie slaying to do. The presenta-
tion should be familiar to adven-
ture gamers: 3D character models
move about an eerie abandoned
police station and secret lab.

The models looked great on the
console version and
have been improved for
the PC: Zombies shuffle
and twitch toward you,
their cleaved torsos
clawing across the floor
to attack you. Heroes
limp and drag their feet
as they absorb increas-
ing levels of punishment
(although this realistic
feature can be a serious
pain in the rear when
you have to limp clear
across a level to get
some health).

The fixed camera angles can be
a problem: They occasionally get in
the way when you're killing zom-
bies — a definite downer since RE2
has more combat than the average
adventure game.

One of the features that sets
RE2 apart is its use of intertwining
plot lines. You can play from the
perspective of Claire Redfield (sis-
ter of Chris Redfield, the protago-
nist from the first game) or Leon
Kennedy, a rookie cop in the
Raccoon City Police Department.

After you play
through a plot from
one character's per-
spective, you can go
through the plot you
just finished from the
other character’s
point of view. Some
of the decisions that
you make the first
time through will
affect what happens
when you play the
plot from the other
character’s viewpoint:
You'll see the same
rooms, but the puz-
zles, item distribu-
tion, enemies, and
side quests will be
different. This means
the game's two-plot-
per-character format
yields a total of four plot lines.

For the RE2 hard-core who wore
out their console version, the PC
edition has something new to
offer: Extreme Battle Mode. Here
all of the key hunts and puzzles
have been thrown out the window,
leaving you with a pure zombie-
killing action-fest. You get four dif-
ferent characters to choose from
(including Chris Redfield), all
armed to the teeth with special
weaponry. The only other notable
bone thrown to PC gamers is a

still-image gallery and a
Windows desktop
theme.

RESIDENT EVIL 2:
PLATINUM EDITION holds
its own as far as game-
play is concerned, but
next to the latest and
greatest PC releases it
falls a little flat. The title
probably won't match
the success of the con-
sole version, but gamers
without PlayStations
might still find much to
enjoy here.

CHIPPED SHOULDER RE2's high-quality modeis
and animations include dynamic bullet-impact
effects iike this.

/.computergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

SOUTH PARK • REVIEW

Going South

SOUTH PARK License Can't Save the Weak Game Behind It

by Thierry Nguyen

S uck on my chocolate
salty balls. ..put 'em in
your mouth and suck
'em!" Either you recog-
nized the South Park
quote or you're flipping
to the cover and won-
dering if you bought the
wrong magazine. Relax, You didn't,
South Park is one of those pop-
culture phenoms that make com-
panies hunger to snatch the license
and whip up a quick game. In this
case, unfortunately, the license is
better than the game — in both its
PC and console versions.

It's Coming Right for Us!

The game's campy premise gives
you the feeling of playing a long
episode of the TV show. Essentially,
a giant comet of evil has landed in
South Park and has generated
many enemies ready to go on a
rampage. The infamous four South

COMPOXER'' 1

GAMIN^

PROS: Uses the
license perfealy,
capturing the
look, sound, and
feel of the show;
amusing twist on
weapons; great
audio commen-
tary depending on
which character you choose.

CONS: Bad level and enemy design;
nonexistent enemy Al; various visual
problems; unbalanced multiplayer
characters.

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate,
REQUIREMENTS: Pentium II 266,
32MB RAM, 95M8 hard-drive space.
3D SUPPORT: 3dfx Glide, Direct3D.
MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: LAN,
Internet (2-8 players); modem, serial
(2 players); I CD per player.

Price: 5*14.95

Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment

CRUSH THEM, GIANT ROBO! Enemy design is sorely lacking; the
enemies can generally be divided into two groups: grunts and
grunt creators. At least these fart-doll weapons are cool.

Park kids must save the town. The
game comprises five episodes filled
with varying levels, and Chef gives
the kids a briefing before each one.

SOUTH PARK perfectly captures
the spirit of the show, both visually
and aurally. Even though the game
is in 3D, characters and settings
remain graphically true to their TV
roots. The sound is even better; All
of the show's actors did the
voiceovers, and again, it's a damn
good use of the license. While you
play the four main kids in the sin-
gle-player game, the multiplayer
mode lets you choose from any
and all other characters, each with
a set of witty quips.

The enemies are both from the
show and created for the game;

ARMAGEDDON AT LAST The PC ver-
sion of SOUTH PARK will let you pit
Satan against Jesus, something you
can't do in the N64 version.

fans of the show will recognize the
killer genetic turkeys, the clones,
and the cow-slaughtering aliens.

Rnally, the weapons provide an
interesting spin on tired, traditional
EPS gear. Grenades are
replaced with Terrance and
Phillip fart dolls, and the infa-
mous sniper rifle is now a
chicken that you squeeze to
shoot eggs. The best is a
multiplayer-only weapon, an
Alien Gizmo that forces its
victim to dance a little jig,
clearing the way for fragging.

ON THE TOWN Capturing the look
of the show has the unfortunate
side effect of generating some
lackluster levels, like this straight-
forward street in South Park.

Oh My God, They
Killed Gameplay!

Despite all the atmosphere,
the game seems rushed and

is very uninspired. The problems
start with the level design: Every-
thing looks alike, so you have to
pay attention to the arrow signs to
get through the linear levels.

There is no real Al to speak of;
any difficulty comes from simply
stacking the odds. The levels that
make up an episode tend to focus
on just one or two enemies and
throw them at you in hordes.
Quantity over quality is the level-
design mantra here.

Multiplayer is slightly better,
since you have a larger variety of
characters/skins. The main problem
is character imbalance, due to size.

Ike Is about the size of a
football, while Mr.
Mackey's head is as wide
as a. goalpost. Sure, Ike
starts with less health,
but with a competent
player behind him, he's
impossible to hit, while
it's impossible to miss
when aiming at Mr.
Mackey.

Graphically, the prob-
lems stem from residual
N64 and general engine
limitations. You'll see the
ever-present fog (a bit
better here than in the N64 ver-
sion), seams and cracks on the
walls, bad texturing, and a fixed
resolution of 640x480, regardless
of your 3D card. Another console
leftover is the fact that you can
save only at the end of every level.

As the big South Parkiao in the
CGkY office, I found the game dis-
appointing. The only people I can
see enjoying it are die-hard fans
who don't do much action gaming,
so they don't know what they're
missing. For the rest of us, though,
it's just one more licensing misfire,
but with a twist: Instead of a bad
game that misuses the license, we
just get a bad game that uses the
license well. Not even Mr. Hankey
can save this game. 333

www.computcrR.lmirg.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD - JUNE 1999

The

Mark ydur Calender

FDR YDUR Chance td come meet and
BEAT THE EDITORS OF

GAMESPDT and CGW!

4 - # F ^

In the Following Cities

The week of June 21,1999

Las Angeles
San Francisco
Chicago
New York

FDR STORE LOCATIONS AND DATES

IN YOUR AREA VISIT www.gamespot.com/inyourf ace

DESCEISIT^

"We're going to get in your face"

TUROK 2: SEEDS OF EVIL

REVIEW

Dinos in the Mist

The Follow-up to an N64 Hit Hunts for Some Respect

by Tom Price

T UROK 2 must have
seemed like a good
proposition to Acclaim;
based on a popular comic
book series, the original
TUROK was wildly popu-
lar on the N64. But the
PC port of the original
was somewhat less than impres-
sive, so PC gamers haven't exactly
been waiting on pins and needles
for TUROK 2: SEEDS OF EVIL. That's
too bad, because in spite of some
significant faults that keep it out of
contention for a place among the
HALF-LIFEs of the world, TUROK 2 at
least deserves a look.

TUROK 2 begins after the
destruction of the Campaigner and
the Chronoscepter at the end of
TUROK; DINOSAUR HUNTER, This
time you are Joshua Fireseed, the
new Turok, and you must fight your
way through six worlds full of
aliens, zombies, and, of course,
dinosaurs, defending the energy
totems against the Primagen.

Helping you in your quest is
Adon, the requisite buxom-babe-
with-an-English-accent, who

compc/xer' 1

GAMING

WQRi-P I

PROS: Better than
its predecessor;
good weapons:
decent Al.

CONS: Poor level
design; numerous
graphical glitches.

DIFFICULTY:

Intermediate.

REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 200, 32MB
RAM, 200MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT; 3Dfx Voodoo 1 or better,
MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: LAN and
Internet (2-1 6 players); 1 CD per player.
Price: S44.99

Publisher: Acclaim Ernertainment

www.acc1aini.net

BORED SILLY Who says games are too gory? The brain-drilling
cerebrai bore has blood effects that wouid make Ray
Harryhausen proud.

YOU ARE HERE The cheesy overlay map oniy
serves to make the repetitive ieveis even
more difficult to navigate.

announces all the weapons you
pick up — and can't be taken seri-
ously at all once she says ''flame-
throwah." Too bad, because some
of the weapons are quite cool. The
aforementioned flamethrower
sends out a nicely rendered arc of
fire, while the firestorm cannon has
a cool triple-spinning animation
and a deadly rain of fireballs.

The most gruesome weapon
(and therefore my favorite) would
have to be the cerebral bore. No, it
has nothing to do with William F.
Buckley. Instead, it's a brainwave-
homing. exploding drill bit. The
beastie lucky enough to get one of
these locked onto his skull writhes
around while the bore whines
away like a dentist's drill, spraying
blood and gray matter until the
bore finally explodes inside the

head of the creature, popping it
like an overripe melon. Yum!

Unfortunately, technical glitches
abound in TUROK 2. The most
ridiculous example would have to
be the bloodstains. If you kill a
monster next to a wall, bloodstains
actually hover a few inches above
the wall itself, and if you're near a
comer, as much as 50 percent of
the bloodstain bitmap will hang
over the edge, in midair. While
these aren't exactly game-stopping
bugs, they don't do much to
improve the game's overall image.

Also problematic is the fogging,
a cheap way of avoiding Z-buffer-
ing that's a carryover from the
N64. In sniper mode, the fog forms
a hard edge instead of a gradual
one that
makes for

pools of gray poi collecting in the
nooks and crannies of the struc-
tures you're looking at. It's just one
more amateurish touch that tar-
nishes the game.

The Lost World

The biggest downside to TUROK
2 has to be the level design. You
run around, find the switch, hit the
switch, find the door that opened,
rescue someone, find the portal, go
to the next maze of repetitive
bitmaps, and generally operate in a
confused state. Further addling is
the overlay map, a la DARK
FORCES. It's a serious pain trying to
watch out for hazards in front of
you while playing a game of Lock
'n' Chase at the same time. Worse
yet, there is no static map that you
can access while paused. What
seems like an attempt to be chal-
lenging ultimately just makes the
game boring.

So if you're thinking about sug-
gesting some TUROK 2 multiplay
the next time you're meeting with
your QUAKE clan, forget it; they'll
laugh you out of the group.
However, if your 10-year-old cousin
who got that new Celeron for
Christmas needs a game to intro-
duce him to first-person shooters,
you could do a lot worse than
TUROK 2. A whole lot.

v.compLtergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

Otherworldly evil. Unearthly friends. Unusual means of
transportation. It’s a big galaxy/somebody has to clean

itup-TWINKLE, TWINKLEtTHIS, FLYBOY.

> Experience the pure rush of flight as your skill is '

tested time and time again. *

• Explore with total freedom as you travel through
fantastic 3-D worlds in real time. ^ ^

> Over 300 unique characters, seven incredible planets ^

and mind-bending graphics offer an out-of-this-world^ *
adventure filled with never-ending challenges. * I

Visit our website at: WWW, slarshot.net I ””"* I ■kJ*

AKS Of NINIBM OFUSnCA INC. 01990 NIKTENOO Of AUERCt INC The raUnfs Icon is a tiaileniaik ol Ihe kiteiaclive DagiUI Sonwaie AssuiaUm. 30tc Uilenctive legsts aliademuk ol 3Dts mteiacM

Go to #117 9 www.computergaming.com/lnfolink

REVIEWS

Run and Gun

It's Action the Old Fashioned Way — Fast and Violent

Extreme G2

A A ★ ★ ★

Publisher Acclaim Entertainment
Price: S29,99
www.acclaim.net

F or scenery-smacking, speed-
filled, oh-my-God-l'm-goIng-
the-wrong-way confusion,
E>CTREME G2 is the epitome of Bad
21st-Century Motorcycle Gaming.

To be fair, the lightweight
physics model is bearable and you
get some interesting weapons.
Gameplay modes include time tri-
als and a drone-filled arcade thingy
that seems a lot like a mobile
SPACE INVADERS, but the basic idea
here is to blast and race your way
through a series of circuits to the
"Extreme Contest."

Of course your opponents are
trying to do the very same thing,
and the challenge often lies in
deciding between a dean, fast run
or picking up some of the many yet
momentum-crippling power-ups lit-
tering each course. Upgrade shops
and garages aren't part of the
equation, though you can choose
from several uniquely performing
bikes and win even bigger and
badder machines as you progress.

Track structure, though at times
repetitive, is as wild as I've seen,
with loop-the-loops, jumps, and
spiraling tunnels pairing with
ridiculously high speeds to instill a

perpetual sense
of impending
doom — one that
unfortunately
detracts from
enjoyment.

The game
won't let you
axis-map analog
throttles and
brakes, meaning
that owners of
four-button sticks
and wheels must use two buttons
for digital speed control while
accessing the keyboard for camera
views and weapons. Plus, only the
N64 version of the game has multi-
player racing — one more reason
why EXTREME G2 is best reserved
for its original audience; the con-
sole crowd. — Gordon Goble

Rollcage

Publisher: Psygnosis
Price: $49.99
www.psygnosis.com

R ollcage strives to lead the
congested combat-racing
pack by offering reversible,
gravity-defying cars that can ride
up walls or along ceilings, yet
somehow keep on ticking. Unfortu-
nately, vertical and/or inverted
ROLLCAGE driving is a wretched
experience, one that'll toy with
your equilibrium, screw with vehi-
cle physics, and destroy any hope
you had of winning a race.

But if you play it as a right-side-
up drive ‘n’ shoot, it becomes one

very attractive affair. ROLLCAGE's
intuitive menus, enormous options
and settings area, awesome graph-
ics, and skill-testing driving model
show that England-based designer
ATD (Attention to Detail) really put
some work Into this one,

The game has some of the most
visually impressive weapons and
power-ups ever to torture a 3D
card, yet each is geared to a specif-
ic purpose. Just try pulverizing a
building before you've scooted by
the plummeting, flaming wreckage
or launching a "Leader Missile"
when that leader Is you and you'll
understand.

The spectacular ROLLCAGE world
teems with short cuts and uncon-
strained off-track spaces. Each
undulating circuit is crafted to offer
solace only to those who can adapt
to its peculiarities and take advan-
tage of its hidden rewards. And
that's where that car model comes
In. Terrifyingly responsive and inor-
dinately powerful at first, ROLL-
CAGE cars call for a surprisingly
modulated, pseudosimulation
approach and prove to be a joy to
drive once you get the hang of it.

Split-screen multiplayer retards
the otherwise smooth frame rate
considerably and the game could
do with a true cockpit rather then
bumper view, but ROLLCAGE is nev-
ertheless annoyingly addictive and
a lotta bombastic fun.

Just ignore all that upside-down
stuff. — Gordon Goble

Wages of Sin

Publisher: Activision
Price: S29.95
www.activision.com
ission packs have the
dubious history of either
reinforcing a bad game or
taking a good one to another level.
Fortunately. Activision has achieved

www.computergarning.com

the latter and come up with a
great addition to the shooter SIN.
Unlike other mission packs, WAGES
OF SIN (WOS) also manages to play
off and add to the SIN storyline.

This time Blade is up against a
nasty local crime organization
called, you guessed it, the Mafia.
These baddies have been hiding
mutants in the sewers, under the
leadership of family boss Gianni
Manero. After a band of hapless
construction workers accidentally
bump into Manero's mutants in the
sewers. Blade is called in.

WOS adds 17 new levels to the
SIN universe (including multiplayer
levels with cool hoverbikes) and
seven new weapons. There are also
12 new enemies, plus two rather
nasty end bosses.

The Al has also been improved,
with enemies consistently trying to
evade your attacks. You'll find that
this adds an additional bit of zip to
the game; it's just not such an easy
affair to waste those monsters this
time around.

Activision has included an auto-
matic patch to WOS that will
upgrade your SIN installation to
version 1.03. The patch makes a
really b\g difference in terms of

performance. The excessively long
loading times are history and the
action is smoother as well.

WAGES OF SIN is a worthy addi-
tion to the original SIN, adding new
goodies while rectifying some of
the annoying flaws of that prede-
cessor. It's definitely worth check-
ing out if you're an original SiN-ner,
— Jim Lynch

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNE 1999 ,

I»ti arJ^^^IIBMBW

A TROPHY.

IT IS THE TROPHY.

The price you pay for losing isn't just pride, it's your 396 hp exotic. Watch
for nasty hairpins. Aggressive opponents Vi/ho might damage your baby.
And. of course, the cops. They all want to see you lose it in a very big way.

Jlf£££y^SP£££^

WWW.NE£DFOttSPE£D.COM

ELECTRONIC ARTS"

World Wars

Mortal Sneiiiies

Shot at Survival

Interactive Magic Presents FIASH POINT, the Ultimate Test of Combat Skills

the oountdown hegina...

REVIEW • STARSIECE

Robots Rising

The Third Time's the Charm in the War Against the Cybrids

by Greg Fortune

A n upstart has seized
the throne. Dynamix's
STARSIEGE has wrested
the crown from the
MECHWARRIOR 2
series, the long-time
king of the giant robot
hill. Where the compa-
ny's earlier EARTHSIEGE games
were also-rans, STARSIEGE comes
to the party equipped with a deep
back-story, a number of gameplay
innovations, and enough unique
flair to make for stiff competition
for the upcoming HEAVY GEAR II
and MECHWARRIOR 3. Only time
will tell how long STARSIEGE will
stay at the top, but right now, the
view from here is spectacular.

What's My Motivation?

Earlier games in this series
were hampered by a lack of back-
ground. Where MECHWARRIOR
had years of development behind
it and hundreds of pages of docu-
mentation from the paper-based
Battletech universe, the

EARTHSIEGE games had about as

much exposition as a Terminator

PROS; Log of
gameplay innova-
tions, best giant
robot game yet.
CONS: Canned
wingman com-
munications.

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate.

REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 166 (with
3D card. P200 without), 32MB RAM,
299MB hard disk space.

3D SUPPORT; 3Dfx Glide, OpenGL.
MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: Modem,
LAN (IPX), Internet (TCP/IP); number of
players limited only by bandwidth.

Price: $49.95

Publisher: Dynami* (Sierra)

www.starslege.

news-feeds in the game's inter-
face. The story here isn't just
interesting, it's compelling, and I
found myself actually taking the
time to read through all the news
postings between missions.

The story starts with a civil war
of sorts, with two brothers,
Caanon and Harabec, fighting on

story, you'll also find fan fiction at
www.starsiegeplayers.com,
and there's even a non-computer-
based Starsiege game in the works
(ETA as yet unknown).

The Next Dimension

The game engine is a beauty.
STARSIEGE supports both Glide and
OpenGL (officially, the RIVATNT,
but we had good luck with the
Rage 128 as well) 3D cards, and
has a capable software rendering
engine for those who have not
joined the cutting-edge club yet.
Frame-rates are smooth even on a
3D-card equipped Pentium system,
and the textures and lighting
effects are beautifully done. Sound
effects and music are also well
done, with 3D audio support for
those who have the hardware.

Input configuration is extremely
detailed, allowing you to reconfig-
ure every command in the game.
There's even drag-and-drop recon-
figuration of your Heads-Up
Display layout. My control setup —
rudder pedals, CH Pro Throttle, and
mouse — was easy to configure to
work with the game, and it func-
tioned flawlessly.

The game's interface is well
designed, with little jumping
around necessary. Configuration
can be done from the main menus.

2 trailer. This time, Dynamix didn't
just write a convenient excuse for
you to get into a fight, the com-
pany actually laid out the timeline
for an entire universe. This ties
STARSIEGE in with not only the
EARTHSIEGE titles, but with TRIBES
as well. The story is presented to
you through a very detailed com-
pendium, as well as through

opposite sides. This background
plays into strategies and even the
design of the game's units. The
rebels, for instance, use HERCs
(this universe's name for its giant
robots) based on souped-up con-
struction equipment, and this is
reflected in those units' physical
designs, capabilities, and paint
jobs. Eventually, though, the long-
dormant Cybrid
threat reemerges,
and changes
humanity's priori-
ties from conflict
to survival.

In addition to
the built-in back-

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

' computefgaming.com

and from the cockpit of your HERC
as well — a very nice touch. Several
times I needed to map a command
I had left out of my custom config-
uration while inside a mission and
was able to do so easily.

Customization isn't limited to
controls — multiplayer fans will
appreciate the ability to import
your own custom skins, squad

insignia, and character portraits for
use in the game.

A Plot Twist

One design decision that worried
MECHWARRIOR fans was the elimi-
nation of torso-twisting from the
HERCs. The only vehicles that sup-
port rotating gun platforms are
tanks, which are fast and small, but
have no shields. At first, my predis-
position to torso twists as the basis
for a set of strategies caused me
some grief. I was determined, how-
ever, not to damn this game based
on my own prejudices. Eventually, I
was able to adapt my tactics to the
targeting pointer-based interface
and had a blast piloting both the
HERCs and the tanks.

If you must swivel, though,
there's always the tank. I'll admit I
still have a tendency to take
Harabec's Predator tank into the
field more often
than not, as old
habits are really
hard to break
and this tank is
really cool. It's a
real tribute to
the design team
that I can be as
successful from
the turret of a
tank as I am
from the cockpit
of a HERC.

Tlie missions
in STARSIEGE are

OUCH! HOT! HOT! Dynamic lighting effects
spruce up the game nicely. Here we see the
best way to smoke a Glitch.

HEY, TAXI! STARSIEGE will let you customize your HERC to taste,
regardless of how odd that taste may be.

www.computerganiing.com

a definite highlight. There are 34
single-player missions, split between
the human and Cybrid campaigns.
Add to that the training and multi-
player games, and you've got more
than 50 distinct missions to work
through. Several of the missions I
found myself playing repeatedly just
to play out "what if" scenarios —
they're that good. The best thing
about the missions is that, while
they are scripted and not dynamic,
you never feel like you're on an
endless series of combat patrols.
Each mission has distinct objectives
that often change midstream, and
they flow together very nicely. Not
once during all the countless hours I
played STARSIEGE did I think to
myself, "Great, another canned mis-
sion." Dynamix plans to release a
mission editor eventually, although
they're still working out the details
on how that will happen.

The game has too many nice
touches to mention them all. One
example: Sitting in the cockpit of
your HERC, watching Cybrid land-
ing pods rain from the sky, you can
feel the despair of knowing that an
unstoppable force is bent on your
destruction. The Cybrid units look
decidedly alien and very menacing,
and they are even more fun to pilot
than destroy. The new cloaking
devices, with their Predator-style
shimmering effect, are also very
cool, and add a whole new dimen-
sion to the battlefield tactics. Like a
ghost, you can now slip in and out
of the enemy formations wreaking
havoc at will.

There numerous other gizmos to
load into your vehicles, like ECM
units, extra capacitors, sensors, and
so on. All of this variety means that
there's little chance that you won't
be able to configure a vehicle to
work with your fighting style.

Hate Your Friends

Multiplayer games are also sup-
ported using TCP/IP, IPX, or modem.
While there was speculation that
STARSIEGE would work in multiplay-
er games with STARSIEGE: TRIBES,
that isn't the case. Deathmatch and
team-play games are supported,
with two of the most notable varia-
tions being Capture the Flag and

star Links

STARSIEGE players will want to
check out the following sites
for gameplay tips, the latest
news on enhancements, online
squads, and even fan fiction.
www.starsiege.com

Dynamix's official STARSIEGE
Web site.

www.starsiegeplayers.com
The official STARSIEGE
players' site, with message
boards and more.
www.planetstarsiege.com
Perhaps the most thorough
site for news, strategies, add-
ons, and links to ail things
STARSIEGE.

vmw.datumplane.com Another
top-notch news, information,
and squad site.

the amusing STARSIEGE Football.
Dynamix provides a free Internet-
based matchmaking hub, and if
you're in the mood for something a
little more private, you can set up
your own server. Sen/er setup is
absolutely painless, and if you have
a spare machine, you can use the
included nongraphical dedicated
server process, which allows many
more players in a game.

While STARSIEGE is a very solid
effort in today's world of patch-to-
work games, it's not glitch-free. Al
units sometimes get stuck on
objects, which causes them to stand
in place, acting like a dog getting its
belly scratched. Once time, I actually
blew the feet of a unit I was sent to
rescue because she wouldn't move
to the pickup point. This was after I
had destroyed all the enemy units in
the area by myself, which made for
a particularly painful do-over. Also,
don't be too quick to reconfigure
your controls. The training missions
use the default key configuration
and ignore any custom setup you've
done, preventing you from practic-
ing the controls you'll be using in
combat while you're learning.

The annoyances I found were
all pretty minor, and STARSIEGE is
great fun to play. I didn't find any-
thing that would keep this off
anyone's play list, and I found a
whole lot to like. It looks like the
former also-ran is definitely now
the one to beat. S3HJ

COMPUTER GAMING WORL

1999

Presenting the epic sequel to the top selling RPG of 1998. Might and Magic® VII features a new, enhanced 3D accelerated
graphics engine, a new storyline with new adventures and quests, plus an innovative new-user "training ground."

CDigbt Anb CDAgic VI nomiitAtcb fov Computer 6Aming Wovlb’s ‘‘RP6 of tbc Yeir.

/ fi 0^..

■Computer Games Strategy Plus

@ 1999 The 3D0 Companv. All Rights Reserved. Might and Magic, For Blood and Honor, New VAiitd Compirting, 3D0, and thw respective logos, are trademarks and/or service
marks of The 3D0 Companv in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners. New VUrrid Computing is a division of The 3D0 Company.
3Dfx Interactive, Inc. b © 1998. The 3Dh( Interactive logo is a registered trademark of 3Dfx Interactive. Inc. in the USA and other countries. All Rights Reserved.

Immerse yourself in the most addictive, most accessible RPG in the world. And discover what the critics are so excited about.

HIW W^HLU EaUPimHB' 3D0

Wi 1 . 800 . 336.3506

,, ersEa-nve- www.mighiandmaqic.com

1 . 800 . 336.3506

www.mighiandmagic.com

REVIEW • NASCAR REVOLUTION

Revoltingly Bad

Start This NASCAR Revolution Without Us

by Scott A. May

A stock-car racing game
for the simulation-
impaired. NASCAR
REVOLUTION offers
arcade action for
casual drivers, with
variety and flash
galore. But you'll need
an industrial-strength PC just to
drag this beast out of the pits.
Again, Eiectronic Arts has used
Stormfront Studios, the deveioper
that dumbed-down the IndyCar
experience in ANDRETTI RACING.
That game was laughably simplis-
tic, but at least it screamed and
was a blast to play. No such luck
with NASCAR REVOLUTION, a
game that promises not to tax
your intellect or skill yet puts your
hardware through living hell.

All That Glitters

At surface level, where even
the dullest games manage to

CGMRUTEH'' 1

GAMII\IC

PROS: Killer car
graphics; large
selectiorr of real-
world tracks and
drivers; decent
garage mechanics;
good sound effects.

CONS: Horrific
frame-rates, even on fast systems: even
worse multiplayer performance; lousy
physics model; stiff controls.
DIFFICULTY: Easy.

REQUIREMENTS: 200MHz or faster PC
(Pentium, Cyrix 6x86, or AMD K6), 32MB
RAM, 430MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT; 3dfx (Voodoo, Voodoo
Rush, Voodoo% and Banshee); Intel 1740,
nVidia TNT and Riva 128, ATI Rage 128,
S3 Savage 3D, Rendition Verite 2200,
Direct3D,

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: IPX network
(2-8 players), modem and serial (2 play-
ers); 1 CD per player.

Price: $49.95
Publisher: Electronic Aris

PICTURE PERFEa Graphically stunning
in freeze frame, NASCAR REVOLUTION
loses most of its appeal when you set it
in motion, unless you've got a killer
gaming rig.

shine, this one sports some
mighty impressive features. You
get a whopping 17 accurately
modeled real-world tracks —
mostly oval variations, with two
road courses — that include
Atlanta, Bristol, Indianapolis,
Michigan, Richmond, Talladega,
and Watkins Glen. Three courses
also offer night racing, which can
be a kick. Further, the game lets
you test your mettle against 31 of
NASCAR's brightest active drivers,
including Jeff Gordon, Dale
Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Ted
Musgrave, Bill Elliott, Dale Jarrett,
and Hut Stricklin. You can also
race against such legends of the
tarmac as Cale Yarborough,
Richard Petty, and Bobby Allison.
They are all empowered with

what Stormfront
calls Thunder Al,
which certainly
sounds wicked.

Other poten-
tial goodies
include a bevy of
shop adjust-
ments. such as
wedge, down-
force, gear ratio,
fuel load, steer-
ing lock, weight
distribution,
shocks, and
wheel cambers.
All this from a game that pretends
not to care about such details.
Thanks to slipshod performance
issues, neither do we. Luckily,
most adjustments have no effect
on the track.

In spite of 3D accelerator
requirements, the game's graphics
are a mixed bag. I loved the
detailed car skins, and the trans-
parency and windshield reflection
effects are dazzling. On the other
hand, visual sloppiness abounds,
including square car shadows and
a fair amount of polygon clipping.

The game supports a wide
range of controllers, from
gamepads to force-feedback
steering wheels. Too bad the
actual in-game controls are so
sluggish. But it does take your

mind off the stupefyingiy unrealis-
tic physics model. You know, the
one that lets you take any corner,
at any speed, from any racing line,
with virtually identical results. Or
that causes cars to stick — not
bounce — when they hit the wall.
The game can be set to either
realistic or arcade modes, but
both feel about the same.

Pony Up Some
Horsepower

EA Sports promises this game
will push your hardware to its lim-
its, and it will, but not in a good
way. Despite a minimum system
requirement of a Pentium 200, the
game was sluggish as hell on my
trusty old P233 MMX, with 64MB
RAM and 1 2MB Monster 3D II. So
I tossed it on a PII300, with sur-
prisingly similar results. Turning
down the eye candy helps, but
visual flash is the game's only
redeeming feature; without it, all
we have are boxy graphics and a
pathetic driving model. If you're
determined to stick with this
game, my suggestion is to use the
DirectSD rendering option, in
which you'll lose graphic glitter
but gain a consistently playable
frame-rate.

As you'd expect, the game's
multiplayer performance is quite
frightening. There’s no Internet
play, for obvious reasons, and
even a direct serial cable (null
modem) connection begins to
shudder when more than four
cars share the asphalt. LAN play
fares best, but again, for the best
performance, limit the total num-
ber of drivers in a single race.

I understand the market EA
and Stormfront were aiming for
with NASCAR REVOLUTION.

What I don't get is how they
managed to miss the mark so
badly. The only revolution this
game might incite will be at the
return counter of your local
software store.

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1998

^.computfrj;amlng.(

-r

OHDEH...

...AND THEN

DESTROY IT!

iviortVr

“WollBustsin 30 i/itO
sll the latest atti/anees
in game play anil
graphics.’’

-PC B/IMPII

REOtJIHES

IIAKMWARE

PC CB-eOM

HKii.iiianrr.iom

Go to #176 @ www.compulergaming.com/Infolink

01 W9 Swa Oi-Lme, Ine. ® and designate irademaAs d, or tcensed to, &erra On-Line, ine., Bei'evue, WA i

•8

His camo-painted truck and
'kiss my bass” bumper sticker are the
ONLY endorsements YOU’LL EVER NEED.

Last year, 1.5 million real-life
Lass assassins like Mr. Butltlj
Jackson of Tupelo, Mississippi

'ol tlradijecl riijlit out ol tlieir Loats

by I rophy I

So just wait 11 you see tlie new
FIELD & STRHAA\® Tropliy Bass'^D.

It gives you first- and tliird-per-
soii fisLiiig ill a full SCO" on 15 pro tournament
lakes. More tlian 50 tail-tlirasliing species.

inclucling walleye, miiskie and trout.
Bye-popping SD action. A new
underwater LiireCain^’''. And, you
can lioolc up for wild Internet tour-
naments.

Need more Lait? V isit

call (SOO) 757-77»7,

WWW.TROI'li VBASSSD.COM. I HIS IS l-OH HHAI..

Go to #160 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP • REVIEW

Hog Heaven

This Racer Boasts Challenges and Thrills in All the Right Places

by Gordon Goble

here are games and there
are classiG, and in PC
racing we are fortunate
to have had our fair share
of the latter. But whoever
said a landmark racing
game had to ride on four
tires certainly didn't count

on the latest release from the
recently prolific racing stables of
Electronic Arts.

Designed by Italian-based game
developer Milestone (SCREAMER),
SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP is
an unexpectedly remarkable world-
class presentation of world-class
motorcycle racing. It's so good that
it gracefully renders its only true

GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THING! The view from SUPERBIKE's first-
person camera, a truly frightening perspective.

PROS: Killer
graphics; impres-
sive physics, racing
options; great
audio.

CONS: Hefty sys-
tem requirements;
slow track load-
ing; no crash dam-
age or injuries.

competition — Intense Enter-
tainment's sound-alike SUPERBlKE
WORLD CHAMPIONS— darned near
forgettable.

A New Standard
in Racing

With 12 real-world Superbike
courses and an overflowing roster
of real riders, bikes, and sponsors,
this game is far more authentic
than Intense Entertainment's can-
didate. With hauntingly photoreal-

DIFFtCULTY: Advanced.
REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 233, 8MB
RAM, 402MB hard-disk space, 8x CD-
ROM drive.

istic graphics that surpass those of
Ubi Soft's FI RACING SIMULATION,
it is a visual masterstroke. And with

3D SUPPORT: Direct30-compatible
card with SMB RAM.

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: Modem,
serial cable (2 players), IPX orTCP/IP
(2-8 players); 1 CD per network game.

Price: S49.95
Publisher EA Sports

www.easports.c

a demanding and complex physics
model, it challenges gamers like no
other bike-racing game ever has.

But should you think you'll need
a license in Simology just to get
upright, fear not. SUPERBIKE is two,
two. two games in one. For the
casual crowd, it's a blatantly

arcade affair with simplified riding
and enough stereotypical coin-op
menu trappings to look like an
explosion at a Sega factory. The
second game-within-a-game, how-
ever, is the real reason SUPERBIKE
will make everyone's short list for
racing game of the year.

Let me put it this way — I spent
my first two hours perfecting a sin-
gle lap at Italy's Monza, enjoying
every subtle moment and reminisc-
ing fondly about my earliest experi-
ences with MicroProse's GRAND
PRIX II. Make no mistake, with its
multitude of difficulty and realism
options opened, SUPERBlKE is at
least that involving and perhaps
even more difficult.

First and foremost, there is little
doubt you are astride a tenuous,
temperamental motorcycle, one
that differs from manufacturer to
manufacturer. Accelerate too quick-
ly and you'll wheelie and flip; brake
too sharply on a downhill slope
and you'll bring the rear wheel up
and potentially take a header over
the handlebars. Along the way,
SUPERBlKE forces you to take an
ultrasmooth approach and smart
racing lines, with the believable
crash-avoidance techniques and
uncanny behavior of the Al compe-
tition an added bonus.

Should you go for a spill, how-
ever, it's a wild show to be sure,
with detached riders doing their
best rag-dol! impersonations, and
bikes tumbling and skidding to a
stop. Sadly, crash-damaged bikes
and racers are not part of the
equation, though at 1 00 percent
realism you will have to run back
to your overturned mount and
manually get it pointed back in the
right direction again before you
can continue!

Looking Good

As impressive as the SUPERBlKE
ride is, the game's graphics are
even more so. Granted, you have

to exceed the recommended sys-
tem requirements to experience its
true glory while maintaining a
workable frame-rate; but if you do
it's a knockout show, with brilliant
detail, shadows, lighting, tire
smoke, and a gorgeous rendering
process that creates unbelievable,
almost TV-like images.

It's not just the polish that
shines — it's what's underneath,
too. SUPERBlKE features a dozen of
the finest real-life circuits ever seen
in a sim. Tlie game also never lets
you forget that each rider is some-
what independent of his machine.
You can see this best exemplified
in the first-person perspective, in
which the camera view actually
bobs about in accordance with the
position of the rider's head, not the
handlebars. I, however, preferred
the situational awareness of the
third-person chase view.

A full garage facility and seem-
ingly accurate telemetry readings
will help you tune your beast, and
the game offers several modes of
play from preseason practice
through a full championship (with
real-time qualification sessions)
and several multiplayer options.

SUPERBlKE doesn't pull any
punches in the audio department
either, superbly showcasing the
unique engine notes of each of the
five bike types on display and posi-
tioning the sound wonderfully
across the stereo spectrum.
Unfortunately, the game slowly
unloads and reloads each track
with every new session. Of course,
this complaint pales against all
that is fight with the game,

SUPERBlKE succeeds on many
levels, not the least of which is that
it becomes more enjoyable the
longer you play and the better you
get. And yes, serious racers will
continue to improve as their expe-
rience, ability and knowledge
increase — the true mark of a top-
notch sim. M'TJ

www.computergaming.t

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD •

‘fCtulrrOut

nsfeyou eyerput

It monentsnextshot!

p "Vs'Kal Mojo Bay

Club, y„u can curaa you?
walssfiDt and wateli it corkscrew
water ton)

MeypBeverifreamednf

gifiiigypurgnlfnpppfleflf

a serious haqificap with
an explodiAg piapa hail?
tet's he ho/iesHwe all
hare.

ast/l'l'C-

Live the dream hy inviting your
fiercest adversary to a game of
Death Matchpiay on the
Dimension X Battlefield!

Go to #076 @ wvvw.computergammg.comnmoiiriic-'^.

Mission editor
lets you create
your own *
realistic theater.
. pf operatioh,'^

^FiANISRZO

funuT smaiRTon

WINDOWS* ss/gs-
CD-ROM

fl'O DRflHfe-Visit yVun liBtfflEr- Dr-i;aii

X^soQrjri^edd^.

with;Vis‘a/HCiNDfth*AmEficsTJnly|J

ryigga-Hwlfl'amliiDCoinflanyrintamiils ^lisiBiarrn.AilVigysTfisen'eflTT/ie'SSriOgQjs aTBglsteredlfaflfirnart of tSma Company, •Pr2ireffies1iic.Wi(igDv/si5a-feQiJ!EiiDiraacrna*onMdi5nafl&(f/i5T)so1tIo1pr^^

>; - T • -’_lAfUS.anfl/arollier.iaiinfn%-Al]_oirreriradeniarS5andreflisrcre(llrrtefflfirkrtfS.-l)iBTJf6perJy_ol.ilieif'rcspirciwB'fiiil(lffrst5:'-!.^_;.-.~_-. . 3'_- j

Go to- #212 @*^wivwxbnQputefgaming:torh/lrrio1ink.

Mips you Mi)

u/iJ JJiiW SsiffJBMiiSBd
uUPPi lof MiMoPHiB^iU'i
BJf BBJJjhli — JiUBBhiJJ BiyJBJ

your ta\\i FLAIvf(Efr'2i0rieaiuTes stunnihgt graphics and *
streamhnedipfayabilify’^iyjtlioutGomprcmisingithe i

technical excelfencc of its famous predecessor! Fly the
Sur27 Flanker using a new SO graphlcs engine and i
ijnpr.aved^f)ight:dynamip5irT on take off from tlle deck

of Russians; Admiral; Kuznetzov ,

aircraft carrier
Su-33> Fromthe interractive
trainingsessionstothe
ultrarrealistic flight model, >

^is premier combat flightsim I
is'truiya rare RussiahRUSHj I

^ EngageJn.mulu-piayffr
* furballs with up to. 16
^ I players via a.LANMgo
Sm head-to-head or join
H cooperative missions on
am a LAN orthe Internet

MICROSOFT GOLF 1999 EDITION • REVIEW

Here on Mulligan's Isle

MS GOLF 1999 EDITION Is a Great Game but Only a Slight Upgrade

by Scott A. May

I t seems like only yesterday
that I was heaping high
praise on MICROSOFT GOLF
1998 and applauding the
veteran franchise for finally
coming into its own. Wait a
minute — that was yesterday.
Well, almost. And now, a
scant six months or so after the
release of GOLF 98, Microsoft and
Friendly Software are offering GOLF
1999 EDITION, an ever-so-s!ight
remake of last year's model.

Packed with only three new
courses and a few cosmetic
changes, this release is basically an
upgrade. In fact, Microsoft could
easily have gotten by with a down-
loadable patch and expansion disc.
Thankfully, a S30 mail-in rebate for
owners of GOLF 98 takes the sting
out of paying full price for a game
you more or less already have.
Owners of previous MS GOLF prod-
ucts also qualify for a $1 0 rebate,
which, all things considered, might
be an even better deal.

computer' 1

CSAMINC

WOWLP

PROS: Improved
ball physics; ultra-
clean interface;
attractive graphics;
in-depth player cus-
tomization; four
swing modes.

CONS: Gameplay

not appreciably better than last edition;
lacks printed manual; no 3D hardware
support.

DIFFICULTY; Easy.

REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 90. 16MB
RAM, 55MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT: None.

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: Modem (2
players), IPX orTCP/IP (2-4 players); 1
CD per player.

Price: $J4.95
Publisher: Microsoft

THIS PERFECT WORLD As with many of today's top golf sims,
the graphics in MS GOLF 99 are so polished that they've
become somewhat sterile and lifeless.

With an engine licensed from
Access Software, MS GOLF began
as merely a watered-down version
of LINKS, contractually crippled to
always be one step behind the
Carver mother lode. And the game
has cowered in the shadows ever
since. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't
good — as if it had no soul.

A Bastard No More

Last year Microsoft finally ponied
up the dough to hire Ohio-based
Friendly Software to do an original,
stem-to-stern makeover of the
feeble franchise. Driven by an
improved version of Friendly's GREG
NORMAN game engine, a sleek
interface, and knockout graphics,
GOLF 98 rose to the ranks of the

genre's top con-
tenders, alongside its
estranged parent.

The good news is,
GOLF 99 delivers
three new 18-hole
courses— Donald
Ross Memorial,

Eagle Heights, and
Medallist Golf Club.
They join four
holdovers from last
year — ^Teeth of the
Dog, the Links at
Casa de Campo, Bay
Harbor, and the Preserve 9 — for a
total of 117 holes. That's a heap o'
holes, which is nice, because unlike
LINKS or JACKNICKLAUS GOLF, in
GOLF 99 you can't import courses
from older versions of the game.

The bad news isn't really bad;
it's just disappointing: Virtually
nothing else about the game has
changed, Microsoft claims that a
few aspects of gameplay have
been tweaked, like chipping
dynamics, but after playing for
three weeks — and comparing it
back-to-back with GOLF 98 — I
could find few discernible differ-
ences. Again, this isn't necessarily a
bad thing. It just makes you won-
der why Microsoft didn't wait to
release a bona fide sequel.

Same Old, Still Good

Highlights of returning features
include excellent customization of
your gaming environment, includ-
ing player strength, club distance,
ball size and type, pin placement,
and weather conditions. Up to
four players can compete in one of
five game types — Stroke, Match
Play, Skins, Bingo-Bango-Bongo,
and Scramble.

The availability of four swing
modes assures that players of
almost any skill level (real or imag-
ined) can participate, from dub
lawyers to ball scrubbers. There are
the standard dual- and tri-click
mouse-button modes; an auto-
mated Sim swing that virtually
eliminates player input (not to
mention all the fun); and Natural
Swing, in which backswing and
ball strikes are controlled entirely
by mouse movement. This last
method is touchy and difficult to
master, to say the least, and not
performed in realtime. Stick to the
traditional click-and-twitch instead.

MS GOLF 99 doesn't support 3D
video acceleration, but it doesn't
need to. In terms of photorealism,
the game element that everyone
seems to clamor for, the graphics
here can toe the line with any
competitor, using a combination of
prerendered backdrops and video-
captured golfer animations. Screen
redraws are zippy, with multiple
views to choose from. Truth be
told, as in many of today’s top golf
sims, the landscapes here are so
buffed and polished that they’re
somewhat cold and lifeless, as if
you're playing inside a presenta-
tion slide show. Be careful what
you wish for, people.

Redundant features and the lack
of viable improvements make
MICROSOFT GOLF 1999 EDITION
best suited for fans who don't
already own GOLF 98. For the rest
of us, the countdown to GOLF 2000
is still ticking. 23I7

www.computergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

111 LULU.

LUHHEF^E l3F=imEI=^
SO "TO I— iOOLU

Live from the show floor!

GameSpot's E3News.com is the ultimate guide to gaming's ultimate show.
E3 1999 promises to be the best ever, and we will be there with more
previews, more screen shots, and more insider buzz than ever before.

www.E3news.com

HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC III • REVIEW

UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT

The addition
of sprawling
subterranean
areas in the
adventure sec-
tion of the
game effective-
iy doubies the
size of many of
the maps.

Heroism 101

To protect your more valuable units, let your weak-
est creatures attack tough enemies first so they
absorb the counterstrike.

The Al almost always focuses its attack on the
largest group of units, so build up hordes of cheap
cannon-fodder units to occupy enemies while your
stronger armies pound on them. For inferno heroes,

bait enemies with imps so that magogs can hurl
fireballs without damaging more-expensive units.
Build marketplaces early. Almost every map is
scarce in some resource (generally gold), so you'll
need to convert resources early and often.

Just because you start a scenario with two towns
doesn't mean you need two heroes. Instead, use
one town as your central production point while
building up only the income-generating aspects of

the second town. With one well-equipped hero
you'll be able to win crucial early battles for
resources that will eventually make additional
heroes affordable and effective.

Use your units' special abilities. For example, since
cavaliers and champions get 5 percent extra dam-
age for every hex traveled, they should always
charge before an attack, even if it means just cir-
cling an enemy that's already next to them.

Killing Kendal and Capturing Steadwick
You'll need two waves of enormous armies to take
out General Kendal, who guards Steadwick. The key to
this limited-time scenario is to grab the dragon generator
in the lower-right comer of the subterranean level. Load
your best hero with units and then seize the generator
before the end of the first week. Build up your dungeon
town first. Initially choosing upgrades aimed at creating
black dragons. Above ground, secure resources quickly
and don't waste any units in fights with aeatures who
want to flee. Raise gold any way possible. By the second
month, break through the southern magic-inhibiting
garrison, flagging the griffin towers and the lone gold
mine. Load up your best heroes and then attack, using
your first hero to take out Kendal's biggest stack and
mopping up with your dragon-laden hero.

fans of the series will probably
miss the either/or branches of
HEROES li that rewarded them for
taking on more challenging scenar-
ios. The campaign mode's greatest
drawback is that gamers can't load
individual scenarios from any com-
pleted minicampaign — you have to
save each scenario at its start to
replay it. While the campaign game
is loaded with more than 20 great,
challenging scenarios featuring a
variety of goals — including wiping
out enemies, seizing specific towns,
escort missions, and more — they're
unevenly paced, with one cruelly
hard mission finishing up the

relatively easy
second cam-
paign {see side-
bar for tips on
beating this
scenario) before
lapsing into easy
mode for the
next campaign.

Fortunately,
the game ships
with an enor-
mous number of
mostly customiz-
able single sce-
narios, giving
the game
remarkable
replayability,
while the map
editor that's
included ensures
that tons of
user-created
maps will be
available online.

HOMMIII has
improved its
multiplayer play,
allowing for
timed turns and
letting strate-
gists scan the map and their towns
during an opponent's turn; while
you can't issue orders during your
enemy's turn, at least it's better
than just staring at your monitor. A
problem with DirectPlay makes
Internet HOMMlil a sluggish expe-
rience, but that should be corrected
in an upcoming patch.

Ultimately, the rewards of
HEROES OF MIGHT AND MAGIC III
far outweigh its few drawbacks.
Hopefully most of those short-
comings will be patched, but even
as it stands now HOMMiii is a
game that strategy fans should
absolutely be playing. S3IJ

being able to gain a bonus when
commanding certain troops — and
there are lots of new abilities to
acquire as well. One new ability,
tactics, lets heroes move their
forces within a limited range
immediately prior to a battle — it's
great for offense-minded heroes,
letting them move ranged units
into prime positions while cutting
down the distance melee units
have to travel.

All this makes for a game that is
mind-boggling in its depth, and the
designers deserve praise for adding
so much while managing to dodge

the paralyzing
feature bloat that
could have easily
sunk the title. Unfortunately, they
also deserve a slap on the wrist for
a tutorial that requires players to
either print out a huge manual or
constantly toggle between the
game and a separate text file.

Storyteller Theatre

HOMMIII breaks from its prede-
cessors in its campaign mode.
Instead of a pair of linear cam-
paigns with a few branches, the
campaign is broken up into six
minicampaigns of three to four
scenarios apiece. While this lets the
game tell a more interesting story.

i'.computergaming,<

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ■ JUNE 1999

IMPERIALISM II • REVIEW

Imperialism with a Dash of Civ

Explore a Brave New World Set in a Bold New Era

by Loyd Case

lizabeth I was lucky. If
it hadn't been for an
errant storm and the
plucky courage of Sir
Francis Drake and a few
bold Englishmen, we
might all be speaking
Spanish today.

Playing IMPERIALISM II really
drives this point home. Toward the
end of one game, I found myself
locked in a life-and-death struggle
with Spanish invaders on English
soil. The battle seesawed back and
forth for some time, but ultimately
I was ignominiously defeated. If
only I'd had my own Drake.

It's the Same,
but Different

As you might guess by the
name, IMPERIALISM II is the succes-
sor to SSI’s original turn-based
empire builder. The original was set
in an era — roughly the 1 9lh or
20th century — when empires had
already been established in the
New World, and the objective was
to become the world's first real

computer' 1

gamimg]

PROS: Intelligent
Al and hidden new
world make for an
interesting blend of
IMPERIALISM and
CIV II.

CONS: The game is
a little dry; some
audio glitches.

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate.
REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 200, 32MB
RAM, 1 1 0MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT: None.

MULTIPWYER SUPPORT: IPX, modem
(2-6 players); 1 CD per player.

Price; $49.95
Publisher: SSl

www.ssionllne.c

A NEW-SCHOOL OLD SCHOOL At first glance, IMPERIALISM II looks like an old-school title. But the 2D
playing surface is actually fairly detailed.

superpower. IMPERIALISM II is set in
an earlier time in which there is a
completely undiscovered New
World — a world with plenty of
secrets to be uncovered by adven-
ture- and glory-seeking explorers. A
highly engaging game, IMPERIALISM
II certainly has similarities to the
original— especially in terms of
interface — but there are some sig-
nificant differences, too.

You’ll notice the first difference
right off the bat: The game map is
hidden when you begin play. This
hidden area is the undiscovered
country, and it’s up to you to send
out explorers, sailors, and mer-
chants to reap riches, resources,
and living space for your country.
You can play on a random map or,
if you’re historically inclined, one
that reflects realistic geography.

If We Build It,

They Will Come

IMPERIALISM II is a game of
strategy, exploration, resource
management, and combat When
you start a game, you can config-
ure not only difficulty levels but
also a host of other parameters. If
you like a more building-oriented
style of game, you can set that up.
If you want lots of combat, no
problem.

The graphics are solid-looking,
in a classical kind of way, but
they’re mostly static, with a few
minor animations. One nice touch
is the zoom-out mode, which
resembles an old parchment map.

You begin the game with three
land units and three carracks
(small cargo ships). As in the
original game, movement is
abstracted. Except when building
roads or railroads, you place your
units where you want them,
without worrying about paths
and terrain. (I can imagine King
Philip pointing to a location on
the map and suggesting to
Magellan: "Go there.")

www.computergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNI

'Hastgai?'

Historical scenarios, campaign
games, a scenario editor plus
inpitiplayer support- for up to.

4 players mpkeforhundreds of’
Hours oJUUensegameplay!

nGHTING SJEEL" the

battles of WWII from 1939-1942. Command

ships from the British, German, American and Japanese fleets — everything from a
ship to a Task Force consisting of several divisions — in real-time action! Combat ti
place in a true 3-0 world. An auto-camera allows you to view the action from many
different camera angles — without losing sight of critical events as they
unfold. And a powerful, easy-to-use interface lets you concentrate
on strategy and tactics, so you won’t miss a shot!

TO ORDER: Visit your retailer
or call: 1-800-716-8503
with Visa/MasterCard
(North America only).

Developeil by

Windows® 95/98 CD-ROM

1 I

rj 1 1 (i HI

i IL^ 1 m 1

rTiji Til

r i

■ft 'A ’f i Bl 8 L

Divide by 01998 Slraiagic Simulallons, Inc. Allriohts reserved. Tho SSt logo Is a registered trademark and Fighting Sfee/ls a trademark of Strategic Simulations, Inc. Windows Is a registered trademark

Zero, Inc. or trademark ol Mlcrosclt Corporation in me U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are tlic property ol their respective holders.

Go to #211 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

The nations that make up your world consist
of six major powers and a handful of minor
powers. You win by gaining control over 32
provinces in the Old World. While most of your
acquisitions will be achieved the good-old
fashioned way, through combat, diplomacy is
also a major factor.

Setting up trade pacts, embassies, and
alliances is a key part of IMPERIALISM ll's diplo-
matic game. You cajole minor powers to join
your empire with careful application of trade
subsidies and outright bribes, and you attempt
to play different factions off each other. This
aspect of the game is very similar to the origi-
nal, but the computer opponents handle things

better than
before. Get a
province taken
away from you
by force, and
suddenly your
friends will
start to give
you the cold
shoulder. Fend
off an invader,
and all of a
sudden you're
everybody's
best buddy. At
times, its eerie
just how much
the Al mimics
real life — or
the fourth
grade.

Here Be Dragons

Where this version of IMPERIALISM diverges
from the original is in its aforementioned
focus on discovering the New World, which
adds an extra dimension of strategic depth to
the game. To win, you have to capture
provinces in the Old World. But you'll never
get enough money and resources to do that
without commandeering provinces in the New
World. More than a few times, 1 got carried
away with uncovering hidden lands and set-
ting up shop there only to discover late in the
game that I'd fallen behind because I didn't
pay enough attention to expanding my old-
world empire. If you act like the Dutch did

historically, you'll end up with the same results
they did: You'll get pretty rich but become an
also-ran in the game of power.

As you uncover the New World, you'll come
across a new set of minor powers, which cre-
ates an interesting choice: Do you just roll in
and suppress the natives, or do you try to deal
with them in a more civilized manner? (Hint:
Even if you're playing in a more peaceful style,
you can lock out the other powers simply by
buying a piece of land in the new country. The
Al can't come in after that unless they declare
war on you.)

The game requires you to balance two objec-
tives. First, there's the dance between managing
your new acquisitions and paying attention to
your homeland. Then there's the resource ballet.
The basic resources needed to feed and clothe
your subjects lie mostly in your own domain, but
the real wealth-generating resources, such as
spices, diamonds, and gold, lie in the unexplored
regions. In addition, luxuries needed to create a
productive middle class, like tobacco, sugar, and
furs, also lie in the New World. The difficulty is
this: Just when you think you've gotten a handle
on food, you find yourself running low on lumber
and iron. You frantically build up those resources,
only to find that you don't have enough clothing
to recruit new laborers.

It gets more challenging the further you get
into the game, as your citizens move up the
economic chain. Each new class of worker is
significantly more productive but demands a
new type of luxury to stay productive.

It all sounds a little dry on the surface, but it's
incredibly addictive. And if it does prove loo
much for you, you can always assign the Al to
handle some of the micromanagement.

it's the Al, Stupid

IMPERIALISM II boasts one of the stronger Al's
I've seen. Aggressive and smart, the computer
opponents will send in a lone cavalryman to
scout out your position, then return later with a
much stronger force. The Al also does a good
job of building a mix of units that can give you
fits on offense or defense.

The strategic Al is no slouch, either, though it
tends to be quite aggressive. For example, even
if you configure the game to be peaceful and
builder-oriented (rather than centered around
combat), the Al tends to send in the troops to
take over minor New-World countries.

IMPERIALISM II is one of those rare games
that actually adhere to the truism that gameplay
is the first priority. It's not flashy, but as you dig
into it you find that it's deep, addictive, and
challenging. And there's no 3D accelerator or
Pentium II required. This is one title that will live
on my hard drive for quite some time,

v.compjicrgaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

REVIEW • NORTH VS. SOUTH

Un-Civil War

The JULIUS CAESAR Engine Can't Handle Rifled Muskets

by Jim Cobb

T he first thing you need to
know about NORTH VS.
SOUTH (NVS) is that it
uses the acclaimed GREAT
BAHLES OF JULIUS
CAESAR engine, which
was designed to simulate
ancient tactical combat.
Problem is, a few things inten/ened
between the times of Julius Caesar
and Robert E. Lee — things like
gunpowder, the disappearance of
personal armor, and the decline of
shock combat. Even so, the units of
NVS resemble their ancient coun-
terparts in their ratings for morale,
strength, weapons type, range, and
the like.

The units take up either one or
two 330-yard hexes. Each turn rep-
resents basically an hour, and in
that time, units can be ordered to
move, turn, wheel, and change for-
mation (column/line, mounted/
unmounted, or limbered/uniim-
bered) individually or, if their com-
mander is capable, in groups.

Units take cohesion hits (a la
GREAT BATTLES) whenever they

computer' 1

GAMIM^

PROS: A fast-play-
ing brigade-level
Civil War game.

CONS: Looks bad,
plays poorly, isn't
historical, and isn’t
fun.

DIFFICULTY:

Intermediate
REQUIREMENTS: Pentium 166, t6MB
RAM, 154MB hard-drive space.

3D SUPPORT: None,

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: Hotseat,
modem, LAN (1-2 players); 1 CD per
player.

Price: $39.95

Publisher: Interactive Magic

move through difficult terrain or
suffer damage in combat. Even-
tually, enough hits will rout a unit,
though hits can be removed and
routed units can be rallied — pro-
vided they haven't already retreat-
ed off-map.

Turn About

Also as in GREAT BATTLES,
command is at the heart of NVS.
Commanders have command
ranges and initiative ratings, which
equal the number of orders they
can give to units; group move-
ments, if successful, use up that
leader's allotted orders. The side
whose commanders have the
higher initiative ratings tends to go
first and most often. The twist in
NVS is that commands come from
army commanders to corps com-
manders down to division level.
The corps commanders can either
spread orders between their subor-
dinate division commanders or
drive a crucial division multiple
times at the risk of sustaining hits
for the additional movement.

NVS applies this system to 10
engagements between the Union
Army of the Potomac and the
Confederate Army of Northern
Virginia. Each engagement has an
historical setting and up to six
"what if variants. The campaign
game has all 10 engagements

strung
together,
with the
victor
sometimes
able to choose
a different battle
to shorten the war.

Sounds great, but NVS fails to
deliver. The graphic, for example,
aren't even up to the standard of
the GREAT BATTLES series. Why,
with the colorful assortment of
kepis, butternuts, Zoauves, and
other uniforms that colorfully filled
the Civil War battlefield, are we
subjected to a monotonous proces-
sion of blue and gray ranks? The
terrain can conceal corps and divi-
sion commands, causing you to
waste time searching for them
with the slow scrolling and touchy
fly-by window. The animation for
battle is unintentionally funny
when the defender leaves the hex
and the attackers bayonet the air,
and when routed units execute
neat wheels and march smartly
away. It can also be frustrating
when the view switches to the
next commander before combat
is finished.

Blunt Bayonet

If the gameplay were good, the
other irritants wouldn't matter so
much. But NVS is too much like

GREAT
BAHLES
in that
fire com-
bat is still
only prepara-
tory to melee,
despite the fact that
the American Civil War demon-
strated the uselessness of charges
against rifle fire. Also, Civil War
units didn't break and run as
ancient troops did; they often
took fire, fell back, and regrouped
many times. Yet, in NVS, units are
terminally routed after an unsuc-
cessful rally attempt (or just at
the end of a turn). So how are
you supposed to recreate Antietam
or Chancellorsville?

The scenarios are also a let-
down, with many of the important
battles missing in action. The cam-
paigns just link things together,
with no carryover from one battle
to another. Thus, a Northern victory
at the First Buii Run stiii gives them
oniy McClellan on the peninsula
instead of the more likely early end
of the war.

In the end, NVS falls short both
as a serious simulation and as a
fun beer-and-pretzels wargame.
With TalonSoft's Civil War series
still available (see the May CGW
Hall of Fame), there's no reason to
waste time with this. I33ZI

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD ♦JUNE 1999

v.computcrgaming.com

wInDows'

PowERFVL Eldar;
Warriors in An Epic

StRl/GGLE FOR^ SuRViVAL.

to ORPERl visit YOVRREtAtLERORCALLi 1-800-716-8503 WttH VIS A/fflC (nORjH AfflERjCA OHLY).

Go to #112 @ www.computergaming.com/Infonnk

The Most
Lethal Weapon
Is Your Brain

Jane's* Fleet CommandrReal strategy. Real conflict. Real time.

It's the real thing. You're in command of an entire fleet of the world's most advanced naval vessels. Submarines, frigates and
carriers with ready-to-launch aircraft await your every decision. And all the world's naval powers are
represented, with complete Jane's references — 1 60 of today's most deadly weapons at your disposal.
Pit your strategy against crisis situations ripped straight from today's headlines, as you’re briefed
on the latest developments in an authentic war room. With a point-and-click action map offering
intuitive game play, and unparalleled single and multiplayer challenge, Fleet Command is actual
military strategy at its most exciting. Where every choice counts — and smart bombs are only as smart as you are.

nuT

COMMAMD

PC Gamer -

Top Ten Games of 1999

Real action. Superior 3D graphics offer intense, real-time Real strategy, Poini-arid-click on strategic and tactical We Build Sims By The Book-

attacks. Where the wrong move could be your last, maps - commanding your fleet to victory. www.janes.ea.com

EVERYOKE

nRa We Build Sims By The Book , Electronic Arts and Reet Command are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts in the U.S. and/or other countries. Jane's is a registered trademark
of Jane's Information Group, LTD. Jane's Combat Simulations is an Electronic Ans'*^ Brand. Various elements used in this digitalimage are courtesy of the U.S. Navy.

PRAISE

for

Seven Kingdoms

CREATE civilizations out of thin
air. Choose from 12 nationalities,
each with Its own unique cuiture.
Construct amazingly detailed build-
ings, including new military camps,
espionage colleges, and special
training centers. Each time you
play will be a fresh experience,
thanks to the new Random
Campaign Generator.

“If you missed Seven
Kingdoms last year, you
missed the best strategy
game In a long time.”

- PC Gamer
(Review Score; WKi.
RecJptcnt: Editor’s Choice Awerd)

“Like Chan’s Capitalism,
Seven Kingdoms is deep,
complex, and challenging.

- Computer Gaming World

“The detail in Seven
Kingdoms makes Age of
Empires look like checkers."

- GamePower

~ Computer Games Strategy Plus

Trevor Chan is the creator of advanced strategy games like Capiteiiism,

Seven Klr^doms, and Seven Kingdoms Ancient Adversaries. Although only 25,
Chan operates his own game design studio, overseeing all aspects of

production at Hong Kong-based Enlight Software (www.enlight.com).

S<rvcii Kiiijjdodib II ,biid Tlic riylihiii W.ifb me Iradciniuks iirK) lnlrf.icdve IWigIc Is
a icgistcrcd Ir.ulcinaik o( liiti‘ii%llve Mnglc. kic, All otlicr IrodcniiSrfcs arc* proji*
crlyudlHdi icspcclivcowncis. 01^)90 liilitdcllvc Magic, Inc. All rights nscrvccl.

wuru;. S ever K,.inGooinsI f .com

ADVANCE PRAISE

for

Seven Kingdoms 11

‘Building upon the success

( of Interactive Magic’s
empire-building game
Seven Kingdom§%ii;evor
Chan has sought out^j^
perfection..."

TUMmate'PCl^

• ‘‘If you didn’t buy j
Seven Kingdoms_
when it first came out {
don’t make the same mIstakV
twice.”

- PC Games

“Seven Kingdoms 11 is
shaping up to be everything
its predecessor was and
more.”

~ Imagine Games Network

GOVERN your society your way.
Micro-manage your resources,
establish trade routes and set up
diplomatic relationships. Research j
new technologies and militaiy J
methods In the Towers of Science.!
Prepare boid plans of attack, and
watch your bacl< with spies trained
at your Espionage College. The
streamlined interface makes ff easy,
to run your empire.

SLAY monsters, hire them, or
become them. 7 horrifying
“Ffyhtans: Unleash their savagery
on‘^^he^, pr find yourself as the
target of their wrath. New Fryhtan
structures include incubators (for
producing weapons) and centers
for'trjinsmitting magic power.

Plus: thrilling new Heroes. Intro-
ducing their own special magic
Nnto the game.

STRATEGY • CHEATS • WALKTHROUGHS

SimCity 3000

Can't Urban Plan Your Way Out of a Paper Bag? We Can Help!

by Marc Dultz

IMCITY 3000 is unquestionably one of the most challenging simulations around, aptly modeling the growth
of a city from its embryonic beginnings into a bustling metropolis. The first 25 years or so represent the
most difficult phase of the game, because it is during this period that you must successfully lay the ground-
work for your ideal city. At the outset, you must determine where to locate neighborhoods, workplaces, and
industries: decide which city services you will provide to your inhabitants: and implement a plan of action that will
ensure steady growth of the community. Here are some tips on accomplishing your lofty goals — without bankrupting
the city coffers or turning your administration out onto the streets.

Obviously, the first item on the agenda

is to decide where to set up shop. Early on, rt makes sense to
establish on!y light residential, commercial, and industrial zones
instead of medium or densely populated zones, since these are
cheaper to create. While you can cram more people into a medi-
um or densely populated zone, these areas also take far longer to
fully occupy and have far lower land values.

Plan on placing your industrial parks somewhere along the
edge of the map, preferably close to your power plants and far
enough away from your residential and commercial districts so
that they don't lower land value. Residential zones should be cre-
ated near waterways, lakes, or atop hills, because these types of
terrain will generally have a positive effect on their land value.
Commercial zones should be placed nearby, with schools, fire
departments, police stations, and hospitals in close proximity.

Once your residential, commercial, and industrial zones have
been created, your next task is to provide both water and power
to them. Start out by placing a pumping station near a body of
fresh water (preferably along a river or on the shore of
a lake), then construct a water main that leads from
your pumping station to each of your newly formed
zones. Pipes can be spaced at least seven tiles apart
and still provide plenty of water to each of your zones.
If it still appears as if some zones aren't receiving their
fair share of water, you may want to construct a few
water towers nearby or perhaps connect one of your
water mains to a neighboring community so that you
can pump in additional water.

Unlike SIMCITY 2000, you need not erect power lines
all over the map in order to keep the juice flowing. In
fact, most buildings will draw power from distant
power plants if the buildings are simply situated near
another fully powered zone.

See the Review

MAY ISSUE • 4 STARS

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNE 1999

^.computergamlng.t

Have Smoke, Will Travel
During the early stages of the game, pollution is by far
one of your most pressing concerns. Pollution generally
comes in three forms — air, ground, and water.
Depending upon where it occurs, pollution can lower
the value of land, retard growth of the city, and turn
away city dwellers by the droves.

From time to time, your neighbors wilt

propose all sorts of deals to you, such as purchasing excess power
and importing garbage. If you're in dire straits, they may even
offer to pump in potable water, albeit at an exorbitant cost. Unless
the terms of these arrangements are utterly outrageous, it makes
sense to take them up on their offers as quickly as possible before
they decide to rescind the proposal, The short-term benefits of
these deals often will outweigh the long-term costs; besides, you
can aiways cancel the contract at a later date if it looks as though
the deal is starting to go sour.

Check with your financial advisor to see what types of ordi-
nances you can enact. Early on, pass any ordinances that will gen-
erate income, such as parking fines and legalized gambling. While
such ordinances tend to upset your populace and lower your popu-
larity, your most immediate concerns are to stimulate growth and
establish a positive cash flow. You can always strike down these
ordinances later if they are doing more harm than good.

Aithough some legislation will end up costing you money, you

should still enact these ordinances as quickly as possible,
since they will generally allow you to build certain structures
or hasten the availability of other ordinances. For instance,
the passage of the shuttle ordinance permits you
to build slightly larger residential, commercial,
and industrial zones (one extra tile each), which
means that you can create larger zones and far
fewer roads.

Other ordinances, such as the passage of a
junior reading program, will generally raise the
education level of your populace and improve their
happiness, making it more attractive for other sims
to move into your community. The creation of a
maximum-security prison makes sense too, since
this will bring in additional revenue at a time
when you can use it most. Because prisons and
jails drastically lower neighboring land value, they
should be sited in low-value areas along the edge
of the map, where their adverse impact will be
severely lessened.

^.computergaming.com

GAMING WORL

SIMCITY 3000

In addition to a decent neighborhood,

your sims require a viable transportation system so that they
can travel from one destination to another. While some sims
don't mind walking to the corner Quickie Mart every so often,
most would rather drive or ride the rails than hoof it, since this
will appreciably cut down their travel time.

Resist the urge to build an extensive network of roads, since
this will only lead to higher maintenance costs and greater
traffic congestion. Instead, create an above-ground rail system
that parallels your most frequently traveled routes and inter-
sects at key junctures. Place train stations at regular intervals
alongside the tracks, locating them within walking range of
each major residential, commercial, and industrial zone.

Make sure to leave ample
room for the rail system to
expand, so that it can effi-
ciently and effectively meet
the demands of your citizens.

It's also a good idea to con-
nect your rail system to as
many neighbors as possible
since this will enable more
sims to quickly move into
your community.

Later on, as land values rise and new modes of
transport become available, it may be wise to
build an underground subway system that mirrors
your rail system. When subway ridership increases,
you can then think about tearing up the above-
ground rail system and replacing it with a net-
work of roads capable of supporting bus traffic.

Be sure to place bus stops at random intervals, as
close as possible to any subway stations.

Knowledge Is Power

Early on, the only power sources available

are coal and oil-based power plants. Although coal plants
are cheaper to purchase and operate and produce slightly
more power, they emit far more pollutants than oil plants.

So, unless your
city desperately
needs power,
stick with oil, at
least until gas-
powered plants
come online.

Like landfill
sites, power
plants should be
situated in the

corners of the map or along its outer edges so that their
pollutants "drift" off the map instead of into your commu
nity. At the map edges, power plants will also be ideally situat-
ed to supply unused power to nearby communities.

Finally, it should be pointed out that power plants start to
decline with age, operating at less than peak efficiency as the
years pass by. If they do break down, power plants spew even

more waste into the surrounding region, which can lead to all
sorts of problems. Every so often, it would be wise to check on
the condition of your power plants, replacing decrepit plants
with newer power sources.

COMPUT6R GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

^.compulergaming.c

SIMCITY 3000

Unless you are prepared to export garbage to a

neighboring community (not a good idea considering the cost) the next most
logical recourse is to create a landfill, placing it in a corner of the map where it
won't affect your main urban center. Landfills are some of the worst polluters,
and left unchecked, can become serious blights on the urban landscape.

In terms of zoning costs, landfills are also fairly expensive, so keep your initial
site small and well out of range of the nearest inhabitants. Try to allocate a large
enough tract of land to accommodate any future site expansion, making sure to
leave some space vacant for an incinerator when it becomes available.

While landfills are obviously eyesores, they do
have their benefits. Neighboring communities will
routinely offer to export their garbage into your
community, paying a fairly handsome fee to rid
themselves of their unwanted waste. So, while
importing garbage may seem like a fairly unat-
tractive option, the extra income will prove
handy when expenditures outstrip revenues.

' Later on, as your bottom line improves, you
can always rescind those heartless waste man-
agement contracts. If things are going especially
well, you can even dismantle your landfills and
export garbage into someone else's backyard,
reducing the pollution level and perhaps causing

Break the Bank

If your city is in dire need of funding,

or if an attractive opportunity pre-
sents itself, it makes good sense
for you to turn to the banks for a
low-interest loan. Since you can
have only 10 outstanding loans at
any one time, it's wise to borrow
the maximum amount allowable
(S25,000), although it'll cost you
something on the order of S30,000
to pay it back in full.

Loans should be used as an
immediate stopgap measure or to
finance key projects such as the
construction of a backup power plant or water tower, and
should never be used to pay off other outstanding loans. It's
easy to get into a situation in which you have multiple out-
standing loans and no hope of ever digging out from under all
that red ink.

While the advent of clean industry
will lower pollution levels much later
in the game, the planting of trees and
the establishment of parks will have a
much more immediate effect and will
help to reduce emission levels throughout your city.

Remember that even Rome wasn't built in a day. And while the
first 25 years or so in SiMCiTY 3000 are troubling times even for
veteran players, overcoming this stumbling block means that you're
well on your way to creating the ultimate utopia. CSU

ir.cotnputergaming.com

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNE 1999

Myth II: Soulblighter

Applying the Principles of War for Online Success

See the Review

APRIL ISSUE *4.5 STARS

categories: recon, melee, missile,
and special units. Units like
Berserks, Giant Myrkridia, and
Bre'Unor overlap two categories.

Recon units like Ghois,
Spiders, Myrkridia, and Berserks
are the fastest units of the
game. They're used primarily
for scouting, skirmishing,
harassing, and/or grabbing
an undefended flag or ball.

Melee units such as Berserks,
Myrkridia, Giant Myrkridia,

Heron Guards, Bre'Unor, Trow,
Thrall, and Warriors are the

Depending on the game type,
choosing a balance of melee and
missile units provides a strong
force for any task.

Special units like Dwarves,
Mortar Dwarves, Warlocks, and
Fetch are easily the coolest units.
With their ability to inflict damage
on massive areas, they make a
nice complement to any army.
New players tend to load up on
Dwarves, Fetch, and Warlocks, but
they soon learn that there's a
downside: They’re the trickiest and
hardest to master of all the unit

by Raphael Liberatore

raw your swords, string your bows, prime your mortars, and prepare your spells, because we're gathering around the war table to
discuss MYTH I! multiplayer strategy and tactics. With MYTH H's fast-paced multiplayer options, victory depends on your ability to
make quick tactical decisions, utilize fine-tuned skills, and employ surefire strategies.

The Importance of

strategy starts with

unit trading. One consideration is
mix of units: Choosing the best
combination of troops for your
army is a factor of paramount
importance for victory. Another is
the game type and map being
played: Choose units best suited
for specific games and maps.

Units in MYTH II fall into four

nucleus of your army. Melee units
have three functions: Support mis-
sile and special units, defend a
flag or ball, and strike the enemy
when an old-fashioned infantry
assault is needed. When a particu-
lar strategy calls for defensive tac-
tics, melee units should make up
the bulk of your force.

Missile units are f ATTENTION! Strategy starts with unit selection. Winning depends on hav-
probably V ing the right mix of units and the right units for the game and map you'll be playing

the most

underrated of the cat-
egories. They provide
support for direct
assaults and are per-
fect for protecting
your army against
Ghois, Wights,
Dwarves, or
Warlocks.

categories, requiring an incredible
amount of focus and energy. They
also have a tendency to get killed
easily. What's more, their explo-
sions can't tell friend from foe;

while it's not a good idea to let
them wander too far from the
main body of forces, it's also
unwise to let them huddle too
close to your army.

WHAT*S A GIMBLE? with more than 21 multiplayer maps

to choose from— in addition to single-player game maps — you must get to
know maps like Gimble in the Wabe and the games they best support.

/ LOSING 101 Even though the archers are at a good elevation,

I the Warriors should be flanking them on both sides for protection. Here, the
V Ghois can claw past the archers to assassinate the poorly protected peasants.

186 COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

v.computcrgaming.com

MELEE GAMES

Body Count In this most
popular of myth's multiplayer
games, the player or team with
the most kills and/or total dam-
age wins. Start out with a mix of
recon, missile, melee, and special
units. Units that pack a wallop,
like Dwarves, Wights, and
Warlocks, are ideal. Try to pick a
good balance of melee troops but
keep the slower-moving Thrall to
a minimum; Vulnerable to explo-
sions, Thrall will give opponents
the points needed to win. Take

flag. Here's another good tactic:
After gaining the flag in the wan-
ing seconds, send out small groups
of units, a couple at a time, to
slow down and prevent other units
from contesting your flag.

King of the Hill The play-
er or team holding the flag at the
center for the longest period of
time wins. It's a tricky game that

requires constant maneu-

vering on an ever-fluid
battlefield. Launch a

wise to be flexible, so
yield the flag to supe-
rior forces and regroup
for another attack.

Assassin The

object is to assassinate
your opponent's unit or
group of units (usually
a hapless baron) while
protecting yours at the

YEE-HAAW! In Stampede, move your herd to the flag before any-
one else in order to secure the teleportation area and gain the upper hand.

the offensive by scouting the map
with your recon units, looking for
favorable terrain, enemy weak-
nesses, exposed flanks, or players
locked in combat, then take the
initiative and exploit them. Most
Body Count games are decided
within the first several minutes,
so don't hold back for too long.

Last Man on the Hill

The player or team in possession
of the flag at the center of the
map when time runs out wins.
Pick troops with good defensive
posturing — special and melee
units are optimal choices. Timing
is everything here: Experienced
players wait till the last possible
minute before launching a well-
planned assault, en masse, on the

concerted effort toward seizing the
flag early on. After you gain the
flag, expect a barrage of attacks
from all sides. Move your forces to
a defensive perimeter near the

same time. Assassinating a baron
causes that player's army to disap-
pear from the map. In addition to
searching for enemy barons, your
primary objective is to protect your
baron at all costs, so keep defen-
sive units nearby. Send an attack-
ing force of recon and special units
to scour the map for targets,
assassinating an opponent's baron
when their forces are locked in
battle with someone else and
aren't prepared for an assault.

Hunting The player or
team killing the most neu-
tral units (deer, birds, or
peasants) wins. The strate-
gy for this wild but fun game
hinges on staying focused on your
objective to kill neutral units. Don't
get caught up trying to attack
other units unless the opportunity

SEARCH AND DESTROY Ghols make excellent recon units. In this

of Assassin, the Ghols quickly scouted a group of peasants trying to hide, with mini-
mal protection, in the corner of the map. Farewell, peasants.

MINED YOUR STEP You don’t have to engage in hand- '

to-hand combat to protect a flag in Last Man on the Hill — ^just place satchel
charges around the flag and wait for victims to walk into your trap. y

base of the flag
while creating one
or two quick-
response teams,
composed of recon
and melee units, for
added maneuvering.
Use recon units to
skirmish with
advancing armies to
slow them down. It's

exists. Trade for units that are fast
but can protect themselves if
attacked by an opponent's hunting
party. Avoid spreading your units
thin in search of prey; chances are
they'll get killed. Form two or
three hunting parties and multi-
task them in a counterclockwise or
clockwise direction, each group
within bowshot of the other.

stampede You must success-
fully guide your herd of pigs to the
center of the map for teleportation
(some game types provide the
enemy flag as the teleportation
point). The winner is the player or
team herding the most pigs off the
map. In this game, quickly split
your force into two groups, the
first consisting of recon, missile,
and melee units; the second, of
slow-moving melee and special
units. Charge your first group to
the teleportation point so you
can keep other players from
herding their pigs to safety.

This also gives you an oppor-
tunity to secure the teleporta-
tion point. At the same time,
use your second group to
quickly herd your pigs
toward the point. The
first players to herd their
pigs to the center usually
meet with little resistance.
Remember to protect your pigs
while killing as many of the
opponents' pigs as possible.

ti.computergaming.c

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE1999 18 ?

FISH IN A BARREL Be on the lookout for opponents who bait you into traps. This player blundered badly, twice: He passed
lose to a deep body of water in which Wights were lurking and then got caught downhill from a force of deadly Archers and Dwarves.

FLAG GAMES

Flag RallyTlie player or team who touches
all flags wins. For this fast-paced contest, stock
up on recon and quick-moving melee units.
Quickly take the offensive and send your recon
units to touch all the flags. Move your army en
masse to each flag, destroying resistance along
the way while redirecting recon units to grab
unclaimed flags.

You can also play defense by sending
out your defensive units to grab other flags
while at the same time you keep the bulk
of your army behind in order to guard your
main flag.

Capture the Flag The player or team
capturing the most flags while maintaining

possession of their own flag I
wins. Select a good balance
of forces for multitasking.

Split your forces into two
groups, keeping defensive
units behind to guard your j
flag while attacking with the '
rest of your forces. Recon the
map in search of exposed
flags and/or weakened oppo- i

nents. Try sneaking your
units past the defense of ;

another player while he's I

engaged in combat, and I

touch the flag.

Territories

There are several
flags scattered
throughout the map, and the player or team
controlling the most flags when time runs out I
wins. For this pure strategy game, a balanced |
force of recon, melee, missile, and special
units is required, i

The best overall strategy is to methodically
capture and hold as many flags as possible
without spreading your army too thin. For best
results, it's a good idea to split your army into
three main forces for multitasking, but make
sure you keep each force within supporting dis-
tance of each other, should a large enemy force
attack. Send your recon units across the map to I
exploit enemy weakness and/or take unguard-
ed flags. In the final minute of the game, make
a concerted push to capture flags. i

^WARENESS

Keep your eye on the minimap for
players engaged with other oppo-
nents, then exploit the situation.
This single Warlock decimated an
unsuspecting force while the player
was busy fighting on the other side
of the map.

/m COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1

protected. Just as you need to pro-
tect your baron in Assassin, in this
game you must secure your ball or
you'll be eliminated. Try to pick a
mix of forces for defending and
attacking. As in Steal the Bacon,
actively search for opportunities to
sneak in recon units while others
are locked in combat. Try using

HIGHPOINT AT THE OK CORRAL Position your missile troops at high
elevation so that their attacks will go farther and be more accurate. Here, Archers receive an
exploding gift complete with shards and fragments.

steal the Bacon The player or team
with possession of the "bacon" (an over-
sized mobile soccer ball) when time runs
out wins. As in Last Man on the Hill, the
key here is to conserve your forces till
the end. Let others battle it out, and
avoid combat at all costs unless an
exposed flank looks tasty. Wait until the

Ghdis, Myrkridia, and Berserks for
stealing opponents' balls.

Scavenger Hunt several mov-
able balls are scattered throughout
the map. The first player or team to
touch all balls wins. This game gets
chaotic, so it's smart to choose a bal-

BALL GAMES

last minute before launching a focused
attack on the ball holder's forces. During
the battle, maneuver recon units to sneak
in and grab the ball. If you get the ball
early on, dribble the ball to a defensible
position. Depending on the terrain, some-
times you can dribble or blast the bail to

anced force. Load up with recon
units, because opportunities to
snatch unguarded balls will occur
and you'll need the fastest troops to
get at them. Use small teams to get
as many balls as possible before your
opponents do. On defense, dribble
balls out of your

opponents grasp

and keep them near

your troops for pro

placed throughout

the map. The player

or team possessing

the side of a hill or onto deep impassable
water for added protection.

Balts on Parade Each player or team
begins with a mobile ball that must be

time runs out wins. The
strategy is similar to

TIMING IS EVERYTHING Playing MYTH II requires not only strategy and skill but

also cunning — and a bit of luck. In the final seconds of this team Steal the Bacon game, a skilled
team member sneaked his Ghol into the fray and dribbled the ball away unnoticed.

that of Territories, but rather than
spreading your army thin trying to cap-
ture that game's flags, here you have
the option of using fast recon units to
obtain and bring back as many

Mapping Things Out

Line up your archers, preferably on a hill or eleva-
tion, with soldiers in a protective encirclement. Load
up your ghbis, shown in yellow, with satchels then
send them in groups to saturate the enemy as deeply
as possible with satchels (noted by the red arrow
lines). Three preset ghol groups, represented in red
circles, work well for flanking and penetrating the
enemy positions.

Once you’ve gotten the satchels in, you have three
choices for setting them off; Bowmen (gold arrows)
shooting flaming arrows; a group of ghdis with wight
bits or dwarven mortars (though you risk having
them cut down by archers or soldiers); or dwarven
mortar or a standard dwarf can set them off (riskier
since dwarves are slow and cost a lot).

With practice, this can be a devastating maneuver.

For movies of this and other MYTH 11 tactics, check
out this month's CG-ROM.

unguarded balls as possible to a defen-
sible, secured position. You should use
your recon units to constantly roam
the map in search of balls without
engaging the enemy, but — as in other
Bacon games— you should always keep
a sharp eye out for opportunities to
ambush the enemy. Make your big
push just before the end of the game
by maneuvering two or three groups
of troops toward as many balls as
possible. E33

Y.computergaming.cofn

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD « JUNE T999 IM

Close Combat III:
The Russian Front

Battle Tactics for the War in the East

by Marc Dultz

S panning nearly four years, Germany's Russlandkheg, or War in
Russia, proved to be one of the longest and most ferocious mili-
tary campaigns of the Second World War, locking two powerfui
armies in a iife-or-death struggle to determine the fate of
Europe. In CLOSE COMBAT III, you get a sense of what it was like
to soldier on the war's inhospitable eastern frontier, dashing
across the vast open steppes of the Ukraine one moment, only
to inch your way through the thick defensive belts surrounding
. Moscow and Stalingrad the next,

See the Review |,.j p,

using the same cadre of units and a

MAY ISSUE • 3.5 STARS

similar set of battle tactics for every conceivable circumstance, rarely tak- .
ing into account the enormity of the situation or the disparate forces
under each side’s command. Such a formulaic approach avails you. little in
the campaign's more formidable scenarios. To succeed, then, you must
draw up a sound contingency plan for every type of engagement: a plan
of action that will marry the right mix of forces with the correct battle tac-
tics to produce the best possible results.

What follows then are some general guidelines and techniques for the
conduct of offensive military operations in CLOSE COMBAT III, all drawn
from the Wehrmacht's experience in the Russian campaign. Bear in mind
that certain factors, such as troop strength, terrain, weather, and the dispo-
sition of the opposing forces, will have to be weighed and carefully
considered before a definitive plan of action can be put into effect.

A rmored forces {tanks, assault guns, half-tracks, and other
mechanized units) play a much more vital role in CLOSE
COMBAT III than in previous installments of the series. In
many instances they are forced to shoulder the brunt of the fighting.
Armored forces are typically employed to maintain the momentum of
the attack, are often called upon to rupture a defensive line, and,
when the case warrants, are charged with destroying enemy armored
concentrations on the battlefield.

During the war, panzer commanders deployed their
mobile reconnaissance units well ahead of the armored advance in
order to establish the proximity of the nearest enemy forces, fixing
their positions, numbers, and composition in preparation for the main
assault. Typically, motorcycles, fast-moving armored cars, or half-tracks
were employed in
this role, with
two vehicles
working in tan-
dem to ascertain
the enemy's
whereabouts.

Ordinarily one
vehicle would
move as swiftly
as possible from
one area of con-
cealment to the next while the second stood off a few hundred yards
to the rear, ready to provide covering fire in case the first vehicle
came under attack. If the lead vehicle happened to be destroyed, the
second vehicle would withdraw in earnest, then assist with the
screening of the main assault or in locating any nearby enemy
armored units. Whenever possible, reconnaissance units would
attempt to occupy the highest ground, such as a ridge line or a hill,

thereby giving tiem the best vantage point to
survey the surrounding countryside.

Once the composition and disposi-
tion of the enemy's forces had been
established, the main armored force would
assume a battle formation. Typically, light
and medium panzers would spearhead the
attack, with the trailing elements — mecha-
nized units, assault guns, towed as well as
self-propelled artillery, and trucks — form-
ing the second and third waves of the
assault group. The battalion commander,
usually leading the assault at the head
of the second wave, would determine each
phase of the attack, based upon the outcome of the ini-
tial meeting engagement, the progress of the lead elements as they
passed through the defensive line, and the overall mission goals. The
vanguard, supported by artillery fire and field pieces, would either
push on into the enemy's rear areas or would be ordered to encircle
then annihilate the enemy in a bold pincer movement.

v.computergaming.c

River CrossitfsiO iif

I n many respects, the seizure of a river
crossing shares certain similarities with the
attack on a fortified line. A specialized
assault team must be created from several dif-
ferent types of units, a battle group that will
usually consist of field artillery, armored cars,
mortars, machine-gun teams, tanks, and both
light and heavy infantry,

Typically, the enemy will attempt to defend a
river crossing by withdrawing his forces over
the bridge to guard the more defensible span.

Since landing craft and other troop-ferrying
equipment aren't available in the game, the
attacker must somehow attempt to get his forces
across the bridge in the most expeditious manner
possible and then establish a defensible lodg-^'
ment. Again, speed, artillery, smoke, and over-
whelming firepower are critical to the operation.

Prior to battle, reconnaissance units

should immediately occupy any high ground
that overlooks the river crossing. The recon
teams, acting as artillery observers, will then
be able to call in accurate artillery fire against
any observable troop concentrations within I
the immediate area. Tanks and field artillery
should also take up positions atop ridges,
inside tree lines, or behind buildings, so that ^
they too can support the attack. Finally, light
and heavy infantry squads should be placed as
close as possible to the bridge, preferably in

Units assigned to the
second wave of the assault
were charged with protecting
the armored forces should any
enemy armor appear on the
battlefield. Towed antitank
teams and heavily armored
assault guns were deployed
along either flank of the
attack, ready to turn back local
armored counterattacks, if
infantry or antitank teams
were harassing the lead ele-
ments, mechanized infantry
units would immediately dis-
mount from their vehicles and
engage these units, forcing
them to ground until the armor
could destroy them. Generally,
units in the second wave were
used to mop up any remaining
enemy resistance that the
armor had bypassed. However,
as the conflict dragged on, and
newer, much more lethal tank
destroyers were introduced by
the Red Army, units in the sec-
ond wave were oftentimes
held in resen/e for extended
periods of time, until the armor
could outflank and eliminate
these threats.

Prior to and even during the
opening stages of the assault,
a short yet intense rolling
artillery barrage
would be launched,
targeted at both
known and suspected
antitank gun sites as
well as mortar and
artillery positions.

When the attack com-
menced, friendly
artillery batteries and
mortar teams would
fire smoke ahead of
the armored units,
screening their advance as
they crossed the open ground.
Meanwhile, field guns were
usually sited along tree lines or
on hilltops ready to provide
standoff fire should the
armored forces require further
assistance. Once the enemy's

antitank guns had been silenced,
some of the armored units and
field artillery would direct their fire
against any enemy machine-gun
teams or rifle squads in the area,
so that dismounted infantry could
approach, engage, and destroy
these holdouts.

Once everyone is in position, mortar
teams should fire smoke canisters along the
opposite riverbank, usually near the entrance to ^
the bridge. Once the smoke screen thickens, *
machine-gun teams should immediately begig to

rake the opposite embankment, keeping the
defenders busy while the assault troops press
forward. At this point in the battle, an armored
car or half-track can speed down the road and
over the bridge, stirring up as much havoc as
possible on the opposite riverbank. Next, two
teams of light infantry race across the bridge,
then take up defensive positions on either side of
the bridge. Finally, tanks and heavy infantry
squads storm the bridge, fanning out in all direc-
tions once they reach the opposite riverbank,'
quickly eliminating any enemy forces still operat-
ing near the bridgehead.

/.computergaming.cofn

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » iUNE 1999

k "l'»BB la»ede»eni
m^Hpn wargame that's
H^MTln the past 12 gears
rad this is the best at the lot."

'Manet War ntiaatly

J^'s^son to reidicer
"Man of War n is a must hug
tor tans at ctassic naeat warlari

The order is given. Prepare for battle!

comes the all new high seas

cfe%Jigtjol^»aS%n£j3n,T^e 'command as a Fleet Admiral, Division Commander or
Ship's Captain and fac'd f^«uty of a broadsiderthc terror of a boarding aetion and the
■ thiJil-o’f a- gloripnS'^i^^i^W.^^^gmatic refd^ime first person perspective.

' Real-Time Naval Warfare • Multiple Levels of Command • Character Ci'eation & Development

Strategy First

www.strategyfirst.com

/aiiribulea Ciclufiveiy by

GT fnteracti¥e
Software

www.gtinteractive.com

01999 StraISQy First Inc. All rlahls roseived.

el War II Is a trademaik ol Siraleav First. All rlahls reserved. All

’ trademarks and coDvrlonts .

3l their rosooctiva .

D uring the war, armored forces were
usually withheld from the opening
phase of an urban assault because
they were extremely vulnerable to dose-
quarter fighting. Antitank teams occupying
the upper floors of a multistory building
were ideally situated, able to fire down at
an approaching vehicle's top, where its
armor was the thinnest. Moreover, specially
formed tank-hunting units were trained to
infiltrate sections of town already lost to the
attacker, then fire at a tank from behind. As
a result, infantry units were generally used
to spearhead the main assault, with tanks
and other fighting vehicles accompanying
the second wave to bolster the attack.
Armored units were used to smash barri-
cades and act as mobile artillery, supporting
the infantry units as they cleared out each
section of town.

German forces tended to employ

flanking or encircling tactics to bypass a
major strongpoint, preferring to reduce
them with withering artillery fire rather
than attack directly. In some instances,
armored cars and half-tracks would speed
through a village in order to take up

positions just beyond the town limits. The
idea here was to block the defenders'
retreat route if they attempted to withdraw.

The ultimate objective in urban
combat was to divide the defending
forces, then isolate them from each other,
denying them any freedom of movement
and reducing their overall cohesiveness.
Assault troops were divided up into
several columns, which would then
make a series of coordinated
attacks following parallel routes.

Each column would be further sub-
divided into an assault group and a
mop-up detachment, which were
typically composed of reconnais-
sance troops, engineers, and vari-
ous infantry squads.

When maneuvering, the Germans
would attempt to avoid the streets as
much as possible, infiltrating the enemy's
positions via backyards, over roofs, and
through sewers. Tall multistory buildings
were always seized first because these
dominating positions provided the men
with key observation points from which
to survey neaity streets and the widest
field of fire should the enemy attempt to
redeploy. When a section of town was
finally surrounded, every exit and side
street was quickly blocked to prevent the
defenders from escaping. Mop-up detach-
ments would then proceed house by house,
clearing any remaining resistance while
machine-gun teams and other units-stood
off to provide suppression fire.

Panzers Vorwarts! |

The wedge, or "arrowhead," for-
mation was most frequently adopted
because it provided the platoon commander
with the greatest degree of flexibility during
the attack. Each tank in the platoon was
responsible for watching a specific arc, ensur-
ing that at least one set of eyes was covering
each sector of the front. Unfortunately, the
wedge formation wasn't always the ideal for-
mation. Tanks on one side of the wedge were
generally unable to engage any enemy units
located on the opposite side for fear of hit-
ting their own vehicles. What's more, the pla-
toon commander rode in the lead tank,
which was usually the first vehicle to come
under attack.

The blunt wedge, or "crescent,"

formation was regularly used because it

offered each tank a good field of fire and
typically didn't expose the lead vehicle to
as much enemy fire as the wedge forma-
tion. However, because the command
vehicle was located at the rear of the for-

mation, the other tank commanders were
unable to observe what the command tank
was doing.

The echelon formation allowed the
platoon commander to place the greatest
volume of fire on either side of the forma-
tion. While each vehicle had a clear line of
sight, the lead vehicle was exposed, often-
times drawing the most enemy fire.

The line abreast formation was gen-
erally used when die platoon commander
wanted to place fire on targets located in
front of the formation. Unfortunately, the
line abreast formation restricted each vehi-
cle's line of fire, leaving them susceptible to
flanking fire. Usually, this formation was
adopted on the defense, where intervening
terrain and other units could be used to pro-
tect each flank. SSU

n.MiTipiitergaming.:

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD »

IE 1999

Order Free Product Information @ www. computergaming, com/infolink

ADVERTISER INDEX

INFO# COMPANY

PRODUCT

PAGE

•

3Dfx Interactive

24-25

•

3D0 Co.

GulfWar

3D0 Co,

Heroes III

140-142

•

3D0 Co.

Heroes of Might & Magic VII

158-161

Access Software

Links Extreme

166-167

Acclaim

Shadowman

146

Accolade

Slave Zero

172

210

Action World

Game Dealer

111

140

Activision

Heavy Gear 2

12-13

146

Activision

Quake III

42-43

116

ASC Games

ASC Corporate

116-117

•

ATI Technologies, Inc.

Rage Fury Board

134

161

Aureal Semiconductor

A3D

138

172

Cavedog

Total Annihilation Kingdoms

14-15

160

CD-ROM Access

198

Chips & Bits

www.cdmag.com/chips.html

196-197

Columbia House

107

•

Dell Computer Corp,

Dell Computer Corp.

C5-C8

•

Diamond Multimedia Sys.

Viper V770

120

169

DICE

198

265

D-Link

129

150

Eidos Interactive

Braveheart

56-57

149

Eidos interactive

Cutthroats

18-19

153

Eidos Interactive

Formula One

54-55

272

Eidos Interactive

Soulreaver; Legacy of Kain

58-59

152

Eidos Interactive

Warzone 2100

52-53

Electronic Arts

A-lOWarthog

98-99

Electronic Arts

Alpha Centauri

78-79

•

Electronic Arts

Fleet Command

180-181

Electronic Arts

Need for Speed

152-153

257

Falcon - Northwest

Falcon Northwest

187

Fox Interactive

Allen vs. Predator

33-35

123

Gathering of Developers

Dark Stone

131,133

123

Gathering of Developers

Dark Stone

135137

125

Gathering of Developers

Fly!

4-5

124

Gathering of Developers

RailRoad Tycoon II

•

GT Interactive Software

Unreal Tournament

8-9

•

GT Interactive Software

Wheel of Time

C2-C4, 1

•

Hasbro Interactive

Civilization II: Test of Time

136

•

Hasbro Interactive

Falcon 4.0/European Air War

122-123

•

Hasbro Interactive

MecWarrior3

84-85

INFO# COMPANY

PRODUCT

PAGE

Hasbro Interactive

Roller Coaster Tycoon Loops

100-101

Gamespot

195

117

Infogrames

Outcast

115

Infogrames

Star Shot

150

Interact Accessories

V4 ForceFeedback

118-119

170

Interactive Magic

Flash Point

154-155

176

Interactive Magic

Mortyr

163

175

Interactive Magic

Seven Kingdoms II

178-179

163

Interplay

Baldur's Gate: Tales of Sword Coast 112

Interplay

Descent 3

2-3

262

Interplay

Interplay Developer Ad

44-45

299

Interplay

Kingpin

69-74

165

Interplay

Starfleet Command

6-7

261

Interplay

Torment/Planescape

86-87

Interplay/Gamespot

Descents Tournament

148

LucasArts Entertain, Co.

X-WIng Alliance

Micron Electronics, Inc,

Micron Electronics, Inc.

126-127

Microsoft

Age of Empires II

66-67

Microsoft

Legal Ad

198

Microsoft

Midtown Madness

139

Monolith Productions

Odium

144

127

NovaLogic, Inc.

F-22 Lightings

225

Prima Publishing

199

193

Red Orb Entertainment

Prince of Persia

114-115

SegaSoft Networks, Inc,

Heat

292

Sierra Dynamix

Dynamix branding ad

22-23

Sierra On-Line

Pharaoh

180

Sierra Sports

Trophy Bass 3D

164

157

Stargate Software

198

112

Strategic Sims, Inc..

40,000: Rites of War

177

211

Strategic Sims, Inc..

Fighting Steel

174

212

Strategic Sims, Inc...

Flanker 2,0

168

218

Strategic Sims, Inc..

Imperialism II

Strategy First

Clans

Strategy First

Man O’ War 2

192

242

Talonsoft

Operational Aft of War II

289

THQ

Sinistar

40-41

111

Thrustmaster

Talk n Play

275

Total Entertain. Network

PGL

130

252

Westwood Studios

C&C Tiberlan Sun

38-39

255

Westwood Studios

Lands of Lore III

16-17

iTTfc COMPUTER GAMING WORLD » JUNE 1999

THE GREY"

AMD K6-III 450MHz 3D-NOW1 Processor
High-Performance Heatsink/Fan Cooling System
Super Socket 7 Motherboard w/512K Cache
128MB SDRAM (PC-100)

Floppy Drive 1 .44MB

IBM Deskstar 14GXP 10.1GB (7200 RPM)

3DFX Voodoo 111 w/16MBTV-Oul 2X AGP
Aureal Vorlex II Super-Quad Sound Card
Cambridge PC Works Speaker/Subwoofer System
SOX CD-ROM Player

ATX Mid-Tower Case w/300 Watt Power Supply

104-Enhanced Keyboard

Microsoft Intellimouse PS/2

LIS Robotics V.90 56K Faxmodem

Microsoft Windows '98 Operating System

Free installation & configuration of

favorite games & latest drivers

PRICE; $1,899.00

"THEHIVE-MIHD"

Intel Pentium III 500MHz SSE Processor
High-Performance Dual Heatsink/Fan Cooling
Intel 440BX Motherboard w/512K Cache
128MB SDRAM (PC-100)

Floppy Drive 1.44MB

IBM Deskstar 14GXP 14.4GB (7200 RPM)

3DFX Voodoo III W/16MB TV-Out 2X AGP
Aureal Vortex II Super-Quad Sound Card
Cambridge 4-Point Speaker/Subwoofer System
SOX CD-ROM Player

ATX Full-Tower Case w/300 Watt Power Supply
(KooIMaxx) Video Cooling System
104-EnhancGd Keyboard
Microsoftlntellimouse PS/2
US Robotics V.90 56K Fax/Modem
Microsoft Sidewinder Precision P.(o
Microsoft Windows '98 Operating System
Free ih9M|li^);&^pffguration of
lavorile gSres & latest drivers

PRICE: $2,399.00

filEEONUIfEtAMING.KEWS.AHDBEUrEWSAT'THEHIVE'.v^

THEAREA51"

Intel Pentium III 550MHz SSE Processor
High-Performance Dual Heatsink/Fan Cooling
Intel 440BX Motherboard w/512K Cache
256MB SDRAM (PC-100)

Floppy Drive 1.44MB

IBM Deskstar 22GXP 226B (7200 RPM)

Promise Ultfa66 IDE Controller

30FX Voodoo III W/16MB TV-Out 2X AGP

Aureal Vortex II Super-Quad Sound Card

Cambridge 5.1 Desktop Theater (Dolby-Digital)

Speaker/Subwoofer System

BX DVD Player 3rd Generation

Iomega internal ZIP Drive 100MB

ATX Full-Tower Case w/300 Watt Power Supply

[KooIMaxx) Video Cooling System

104-Enhanced Keyboard

Microsoft Intellimouse PS/2

US Robotics V.90 56K Fax/Modem

Microsoft Sidewinder ForceFeedback Pro

Microsoft Sidewinder Gamepad

Microsoft Windows '98 Operating System

Free installation & configuration of

favorite games & latest drivers

PRICE; $3,399.00

MONITORS

17' ViewSonic V73 .26dp add:

17' ViewSonic G73 .26dp add:
19' ViewSonic V95 .26dp add;

19’ ViewSonic PS790 .25dp add:
21' ViewSonic P810 .25dp add:
21' ViewSonic P815 .25dp add:

5300.00

5335.00

5485.00

5575.00

51. 025.00

51150.00

;opyngEitOI 999 Ahmwaro PC Systems. AD rights resorvad. ProdiKt namn In IMe publicaUon aro liademaiVs si Iheli
•Apocllva EomiMinleA. Pricse & specriicallaftA may bo duutgwl wilhoul notico; prices do not inclufio and handling

ind atiy applicobln leios. ProOucl namse of ADonwaro PC Bysloms aro liadantarlia or rogiglBred liotlomailts ol Allanwaro
’C Sysloms. Aiienwaro PC Sysleme Is net laspoaslbla toi omlcolon* or errors In lyjxjgraphy or photography.

"AWARD-WINNING
GAMING SYSTEMS"

iddUH saouinwesi lasm srrooi Miami, i-ionoa

mi FREE; 18001 494-3382

Go to #105 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

weapons I

Intelligence.

Release: 5/99
PSX

'WWF AHITUDE' 30 wrestlers,

iusic, moves
your own
strength,
S physical

Bomber

BiiShIcIo I

levels &

cop an Attiludel
Acclaim (Sports)
Release: 6/99

COMPUTER GAMES: SIMULATION

COMPUTER GAMES: HARDWARE

COMPUTER GAMES: ACTION

COMPUTER GAMES: ADVENTURE

COMPUTER GAMES: SPORTS

3D Ultra MrnI Goll Olx

11/93 $39.99

formula 1 Wrld GP

05/99 $19.99

MS Golf 99

1198

536.99

Atrcn SalaiiTrohy Hnir

02/99 S19.99

High Heat Bsebali 2K

0399 $25.99

MS World Champ Soccer 0599

$44.99

Baseball MglWtid Sis

12fl8 $28.99

imply Spis Bsball 2K SE

03/99 534.99

NASCAR Revolution

0299

$42,99

Brnswk Pro Pool 30 2

05/99 $19.99

Jck Nickis Gidn Bear

0399 $39 99

PBA Bowling 2

0199

$35 99

Deer Avenger

02/99 $25.99

Knockout Kings

09/99 S44.99

PGA Chamoionship Goll

0399

$26.99

Expen Pool

05«9 $35 99

Links Extreme

05<99 $25 99

Senior PGA Tour Goll

0399

$19.99

FIFA Soccer 99

12/98 $29.99

Unks LS99

11/98 $3999

Spons Car GT

0399

$37.99

Fooibaii Mogul

02/99 $2999

MS FoolballEOOO

0899 $44 99

Triple Play 2000

0399

$39.99

HINT BOOKS

Alpha Centauri

02/99 $16.99

Hall Lite

1198 816.99

Return lo Krondor

1298

MldUliJ

Baldui'sGate

01/99 $17 99

Heroes M&M 3

0399 517.99

Scieamln Damon Europe

0299

517.99

Caesar 3

11/98 $16.99

Homewoild

0699 $16 99

SlmCity 3000

0199

516.99

Civilnri Call lo Powr

03/99 $1799

King's Quest 8

12/98 SIS.99

Stare rati

0S96

514 99

EverOuest Off Guide

03/99 $1899

Lands o1 lore 3

03/99 $17.99

Staicrafi: Brood Wats

01/99

516.99

Falcon 4.0

02/99 $1699

Might & Magic 7

04 9 9 517.99

Slatsiege

03/99

516.99

Falloul 2

02/99 $19 99

Myth 2

0199 519.99

Slatslege: Tribes

01/99

516.99

Gabriel Krught 3

06fl9 $16 99

Quest tor Glory 5

0199 516.99

Thiel Dark Project

1298

S1B.99

Grim Fandango

11/98 $17.99

Railroad Tycoon 2

1298 519.99

X-Wing Alliance

04.‘99

$1699

PC:BUNDLES

AgesolMyst 10/98 S49!

Batiiegrnd:Coiii&2e3 01/99 S37;
Binrd Game Year CiKtn 02/99 $39!
Gebriel KnighI Coll Ed 12/98 $36.!
Grand Then Auto wExp 04/99 $24.5
Great BalllsSrresCE 10/98 $37.!
ImrplyUnSmArch 07/98 $29!
Journeyman Pr|Cl Trigy 04/99 $38 !
Longbow Anlholofly 08/98 $37,!
Mech 2 Trtanlum TrrI 04/98 $39!
Might & Magic Compllain 11/98 S29.!
Pn: Cmmdr/Panj Gen 2 02/99 $37 !
Quake Miesion Pack Bnd 02/98 $23.!
Quake Quad Carnage 03/99 $49!
Star Trek Fed Complin 11/98 $19.!
Starcrafi Bin Chesi 12/98 $49.!
TolAnnihillnComniPk 11/96 S46.!
UliimaieWraaidryArchvs 11/98 $26!
Uiirmaie WW2 Gme Dew 02m $38 !

SONY PLAYSTATION

NINTENDO 64

isebaii2K 04/99 $64

& Conquer 0&99 SS4

im Zero Hour 05/99 $54

Great Adv 07/99 $62

3emlnl OB.^g $62

/ BB 2 05/99 $54

Zelda 11/9B $49

rbal Spec Force 09/99 $64

oiler Blue 10/96 $26

m Purple 11/g3$139

'QUAKE III- ARENA' Is one ot the
first games created as multiplayer
only. Features improved network
play, new graphics (true curved
surfaces, dynamic shadows, volu-
metric fog) New weapons
Include: Mace, SuperShotgun,
Grenade/Rocket Launcher, Flame
Thrower,Machlne/Plasma/Light-
ning Gun, & more. Many new lev-
els & classes with support for
dozens of players at one time.
Activision (Action)

Release: 6/99
PC CD

Head-Up Display. & out

Mechs and vehicles.
Mechs can carry as many

Its as a team. Training,
Single-Player or Scenarios,
& Multiplayer Modes. LAN
or modem, supporting up
to eight piayers-
' Microprose
(Simulation)

Release: 6/99
PC CD

'DESCENTS' New lethal

mines & on the surface!
creature has personality & Its Al
tailored to Its environment,
depth, diverse levels with
objectives for each mission. Real-
time lighting, new weapons, &
new ships, LAN, modem, or
TCP/IP play with up to 8 players.

Interplay (Action)
Release: 6/99
PC CD

Eidos (Action)
Release: 6/99
PC CD

'LEGACY KAIN SOUL REAVER'
continues the story ot Kain, evil
vampire. Full 30 polygonal envi-
ronments to explore with abilities
to shunt from one world to anoth-
er, Run, jump and fly while har-
vesting souls for the dark master.
Eleven bosses, 20 different ene-
mies, & 1 0 classes of vampires.

Crystal Dynamics

CHIPS&BITSINC.

POB 234 DEPT 11148

ROCHESTER, VTB5767
INT’L 802-767-3033 PAX 802-767-3382

Wew

ne/eases

Order

Online

www.chipsbits.com
or call 1-800-699-4263

Source Code 11148

COMPUTER GAMES: STRATEGY | 1

Ags qI Eirpiies 2 09i99

Age ot Empires Gold £d 03/99
Age of Emprs Cngst Ages 02/99
Age olEmprs Rise Rme 11/98

Alpha Ceniauri
Ancnt Cnqsl: Gldn Flee
Anno 1602
Armored Moon
Arnry Men
Army Men 2

Battlecruiser 3020 AD 06/99
Black & White 06/99

Braveheart 06/99

:&C 2. Trbenan Sun 06.99
O&C Gold Bundle 11/98
CSC Red Alert Arsnl 1298
CSC Sole Surnvor Online 12/92
CSC Worldwide Warire 11/98
Caesar 3 1098

Civ 2 Fantasy Worlds 11/97
Civ 2 Multiplayer Gold Ed 12/98
Civ 2 Test of Time 06/99
Civilztn Cali to Pdwi
Cmmndos'Bynd Call Du
Colonization W96
Commandos
Conflict of Nations

Conquest New World 2
Conquest: FrnIrWars

Creatures 2 Deluxe
Creatures 3

03199

02/99

11/99

Dark Re
Dark Reign MR 1

$48.99
$37.99
$26.99
$29.99
9 $46.99
9 $45.99
9 S39 99
9 $42.99
9 $42.99
$26.99
$26 99
$35.99
$39.99
$44.99
$43.99
$34.99
$54 99
$19.99
$26.99
$26.99
$43 99
$29.99
$19.99
$24.99
$48.99
$44 99
$19 99
$19.99
$29.99
$46.99
$46 99
$48.99
$48.99
$36.99
$28.99
$37.99
$46.99
$19.99
$26.99

01/99 $

09/98 S

02«9 S

02/99 S

01/99

01/93

10/98

04/99

Deadlock 2
Dominant Species
Dominion Storm
Dune 2000
Dungeon Keeper 2
Dungeon Keeper Cold
Earth 2150
Emergency
Emergentty Room 2
Empire ol the Anis
Entrepreneur Coip Eip
Evolution
Extreme Tactics
Rnal Countdown
Fleet Command
Force 21

Force Commander
Freelancer
Galilean Conlllcl
Gangsters
Global Domination
Heroes ol M S M 3
Hidden Wars
Hollywood Mogul
Homevi'orld
Imperialism 2
IncubatiomWilderness
Industry Giant
Jagged Alliance 2
Jakkal: FleshrBones
KKND2

Knights S Merchants
lEOWars
Legend of the Five Rings 12/99
LEGO Rock Raiders 09/99

Lords ol Magic 12/97

Lords ol Magic SE 11/98

Machine Hunter 03/99

Magic S Mayhem
Maiesty: Empre Drkind
Malkari
MAX 2

11/99

12/99

02fl9

12/98

11/93

$29.99
$48.99
$44.99
$48.99
$45.99
$49.99
$48.99
$35.99
$29.99
$39.99
$39 99
$48.99
$29.99
$48.99
$47,99
$19.99
$36.99
$44.99
$39.99
$34.99
$39.99
$41.99
$42.99
$42.99
$34.99
$39.99
$39.99

Myth 2 v1 1

fletstorm

Paxlmperia2

08/99

MTG Duels olPIneswIkr 02/98
Myth 11/97

01/99
11/97
11/97
09/99
11/96
03/99
11/98
04/99
03/99
03/98
01/99
07/99

tslon 05/99

nsAncAdv 06/98
ims 12/97

Slar Trek Nevr Worlds 1

Star Trk Starlit Comm 1

StaiCon C

Slarcralt C

Slarcrall Brood Wats 1

Slarcralt Insurrection C

Starcralt Retribution C

Stars Twinpack C

Starship Diplomacy C

Siellar Frontier C

Stratosphere C

Submarine Titans C

SWAT 2 t

The Rill C

The Sims t

Theocracy C

Total Annliltn Kingdoms C

Total Annlhllallon 2 (

Total Annitn Cf Ctgey (

Toll Annhlln Bill Tetes C

Tribal Rage (

Uprising 2 1

Wall Slieel Tycoon C

WallStreet Trader 99 C

War ol the Worlds C

WaiBreeds C

Warcralt 2 Platinum (

Waicrait 3 1

Wargames (

Wargasm C

Wainmmi40K Chs Gale 1

Warlords 4 1

Wailrds 3 Dik Lrd Rsg C

Warwrnd 2 i

Warzone2100 C

Worldcralt Pro C

Worms 2 (

COMPUTER GAMES: WAR

ROLE PLAYING^ f PC: ADULT GAMES '

:lePkl-5 ea

>d Task Force D3/99 $39 99
>1 Britain 0399 $44 99

ind Bull Run 06/97 $19.99
Id 9: Chickmgua 01/99 $44.99
ar Generals 3 09/99 $48.99

tombaia 01/99 $48.99

■sAmelCivilWar 10/99 $55.99
0599 $45.99
09/98 $22.99
11/97 $39 99
03/99 $44 99
07/99 $46.99
10/9S $29.99
07/98 $32,99
06/99 $42.99
02/99 $39.99
06/98 $29.99
02/99 $19 99
09/99 $22.99

0pflnIAftW3f2:Mdd
Oprtn; Blood & Guts
Pacific Bailies
Pacific Tide
Panzer General 3
People's General
Point ol Attack 2
RedThndnVctryinEastl 04/99
Road to Moscow 07/99
Shogun; Total War 06/99
Smolensk to Moscow 02/99
Steel Panthers 4 09/99

Taisho 06/99

Tides of War 11/98

War Along the Mohawk 09/98
WarinEast1-6ea 04/96
War In Europe 01/99

Warhammer 40K: Univrs 03/99
West From 11/98

West Front BtllPck! 04/99
Wtnmmr40K Rites War 0599

09/99

04/99

AD&D PLr/ers Handbook 02/95
Allernity Player s Handboak04/98
ArsMaglca4thEd 08/95
Changeling
Conspiracy X
Deadiands Ruiebook
Dragonlance 5lli Age
GURPS Ruiebook
MERP 2 Sottcover
Macross 2
Mage 2nd Ed.

Marvel Super Heroes
Mechwarriot
Pendragon 4in Ed.

Rilts

07/95
06/95
06/95

Robotech 04/95
ShadQwrun 3rd Edition 10/98
SlarWars Revised 0i/97
Trinity 03/98
Vampire 3rd Edition 10i9S
Werewoil 02/95

$28.93
$27.99
$25.99
$26.99
$22.99
$27,99
$21.99
$22 99
$19.99
$11.99
$28.99
$21.99
$13.99
$19.93
$21.99
$11.99
$28.99
$27.99
$26.99
$27.99
$24.99

3D Darling 03m $9.99
Adult Image Library lor 205/96 $9.99
Amateur Photo Gallery 06/96 $4.99
Arabian Nighls

03/98 $39.99
10/95 $9.99
09/95 $1999
08/96 $19,99
01/96 $29.99
09/96 $9.99
12m $39.99
02/96 S13.99
NetErohdue 02m $19 99

Peep Show 2 Girlie Game 04/96 S29.99

Private Pisr Park 12/96 $19.99

Romsotl Three Pack 02m $19.99

Sex With Jena

Babe Patrol
Crystal Fantasy
Cyber Photographer
OlvaXAriara
Fuzz Buzzers
Girlfriend Donna
Glamor Giilsl-3 ea.

Space Sirens 2
Strip PokerPio2
Swingers Worldwide
Tabloid Beauties

03/97 $42.99
09/96 $34.99
12/96 $39.99
12/96 S9.99

COMPUTER GAMES: ROLEPLAYING

BOARD GAMES

EidrScillsMriQwind

12/98

04/99

06m

05/99

01/97

oam

lom

05/99

03/99

11/98

06/93

06m

0399

Legacy olKaIn 2 OSm

Mights Magic 6 D4m

Might & Magic 7 05/99

Mordoi 2 06.99

Odium 09m

Planescape Torment 07m

Rage Mages 2:Neoromcr 00/99

Revenani OSm

Seplerra Core lOm

Shadowrun: Assassin D7m

Swords & Sorcery 06m

Swords ol Heroes 06/99

The Summoner 06/99

Third World 05/99

Ultima 9 Ascension 07/99

Ultima Online: 2nd Age 11/98

Vampire: Masquerade 11/99

Warhammer 2; Drk Omen 11/98

Werewolf: Apocalypse 12m

Wizardry 8 06i99

Airlines 1 or 2 ea.
Axis S Allies
Battletech 4th Ed.
Crimson Skies
CrlllerTek
Knightmare Chess 2
Lionhsarl

08/96 $34.99 Quests ol Round Table
11/94 $45.99 Risk

12/94 $21.99 Robo Rally

01/99 $29.99 Samurai Sv/oids

09/95 S12.99 Scrabble DIx

06/98 $13.99 Sushl-Jalapeno War

10/97 S35.99 Warhammer Fantasy

02/99 $19.99
03/96 $34.99
01/96 $3699
04/97 $46.99
08/97 $49.99
01/99 $39.99
torn $64.99

FREE GAME OFFER!

Spend ihc spBciliiM] amount on any in-stock software and choose one Ires
IBM game from the corresponding list, Request must be made at time of
order. Offer good on in-slock software only, while supplies Iasi. Limil Z per
Valid through June 5.1999.

Spend $60 Battles at Destiny 3.5, ESPN Sports Shorts CD, Jungle/Desert
Strike CD,Total Mayhem CD

Spend SI 00 Conquest New WdiIiI Dlie CD. Doom 2 WBS CD, Empire 2 CD,
Ravenlaft1S2 CD

Spend $200 Capitalism Plus CD,Empstoi Failing Suns CD. Falcon Gold CD.
X- Com Apocalypse CO

& Discover accepted. Checks held A weeks. Money Orders under S200 same as cash. COD S8. Price, release, availability, shipping times

-• guaranteed & are subject to change at any lime. Hardware may require added S&H. Within 10 days defectives repaired or replaced at
ion. After 1 0 days the manufacturer’s warrantee applies. All sales linal. S&H calculated on a per order, per shipment, and per item basis.
The 'per order' charge is charged once per order placed, the ‘per item’ charge

Visa, MC & Oi

& offer not gi
our discretion
The'perorde

iUSSc".

will be allocat

spa uTSi

Express

riieWotld

Per Order $1.00 S2 00

"gSf*

Perli«ri!'‘ |o75 $100

$1.M

$2 00

S2 00

$6 00

' 'Ti ' '

1 'AGE OF E
from the 0;
Castle. & G
civilizations

lions. Boart

3, and

ChOQS

maps, campaigns, & scenarios.
Separate economic & military
diplomacy.

Microsoft

(Slrategy)
ease: 9/99
PC CD

i/TI\ l/’l

INGDONIS

'TOTAL ANNIHILATION: KING-
DOMS’ This fantasy real-time
strategy game engages you in the
struggle of good against evil and
magic against technology. New
story line, 3-D articulated unds,
missions, multiplayer maps &
worlds. Four selectable sides to
choose from, each with its ov/n
unique magical & technological
abilities.

GT Interactive (Strategy)
' ' Release: 7/99
PC CD

■STAR TREK GENERATIONS;
BIRTH OF THE FEDERATION’
Manage resources, solar systems,
and trade routes. Construct,
maintain and refit a Starship fleet
- and engage in turn-base 3-D
space combat! Features multiple
skill levels, galaxy sizes and other
options (or long-term replayabili-
ty. Multiplayer support (or up to
five players via LAN, direct con-
nect, modem and internet.

Microprose (Strategy)
Release;*

■REUENANT' You play Locke
O'Averam, a v/arhor brought back
to life by a ruthless warlord. Your
memories & abilities return as the
game progresses. Using a mix of
hand painted 2-0 backgrounds &
3-0 real-time characters,
Revenant takes you on a journey
across the huge island ol
Ahkuilon, Dynamic & static light-
ing, & LAN & TCP/IP mulliplay.

Eidos (Roleplaying)
Release: 6/99
PC CD

’DIABLO II; INFERNO’ Five new
character classes with unique
attributes S abilities. Four differ-
ent, fully populated towns, multi-
ple dungeons, caverns & crypts.
Expanded world tilled with ail-new
quests, weapons, spells, armor. &
monsters. Advanced combat sys-
tem which incorporates class-
specific fighting techniques &

Blizzard (Rolcpiaying)

» Release: 9/99
PC CD

Go to #068 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

at 415.357.5226; tallie_fishurne@zd.com

CDAccess.com

1-800-95g'S280
1'408*366-6700 V
t-4D8-366<g066 F

You Want Games?

http://www.cdaccess.com

Go To #160 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

"ALWAYS AHEAD OF THE GAME"

CALL TODAY TO PLACE YOUR AD IN
COMPUTER GAMING WORLD MARKETPLACE

COMPUTER

GAMIItIG 415 - 357-5226

Who knows what gamers want?

HI in '''■aiu;asm. fiEROESiiJ

p-REBATBt :

f omDstt liWciTY

■'ill

. ofl

CENTAUR

LEC^A

HALF-LIFE' SILIROTT

SHRDOW

MRDNESS.-

We Do.

PRIMA STRATEGY GUIDES

PRIHA'

B I E I I

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN GAMES"
iAfww.primagames.com

Go To #225 @ www.computcrgaming.com/infolink

COMPUTERCAMINO WORLD ‘JUNE 1

'NewiTltlemmyLVleekx

Shop cf«in d Or d# r Online 3

w w w . s tta r g a t. €( Software.com

eall: {2151 674 - 9877

Go To #157 @ www.computergaming.com/infolink

Want to get from
point A to
point B?

(Just click the dice)

point

/ Great paying
' high tech job at
a great company
with great benefits.

/ www.dice.com

point

Mediocre ftoying high tech
job at a mediocre company
with mediocre benefits.

dieeeom

High tech jobs online

Go To #169 @ www.computergaming.com/infoiink

COMPUTEROAMING WORLD ‘JUNE 1999

PREMIER

Sequel to tlie

Higlil)' Acclaimecl AwaidlWiiiiiixLg BaseBall Game.

1998 Game of the Year f ok

1998BaseballGameoftheYear V\

1998 Best Al in a Sports game

1998 Best Hands-On Gameplay in a Sports Game i /or; ^on
1998Top10SportsGames ■■i-iaGsirHnglMe-. •-■rkfoniyi .loCDaii-
1998Top lOSports Games PC Sports Brma:

“Top-uotcli a3:cade pla7; tlie Best BaseBall game All'-pcGamer

TruRay™Algunronteesi\ • ; ... na-

captured polygonal players ■•'tet;

Broadcast-st^e camera a^g^e^ .

"...all tBe intricacies of a real game, from line drives to
tBe suicide squeeze and tlie douBle switclL.”-fam//yPc

Blazing fast : '.spia/ anu d,;

Pro-style ii'iteGaC' - jc-youiniv,-:'

Head-to-Head Multi-player ' vir ' " ‘.def

“This game feels like l>asel>a]l...great gamejplay, and super AI.
No otlier game does tBese things" pc spoits Games

New Major League Baseball® play .

Career Mode indudesennatiotic aging: ■ . ip'

bir dealsv Multi-player trades ncManage-only mode tor* •"

“Tliis is tlie Best
BaseBall game,

>» *

- Tr/p Hawkins. President 3D0

■11)1 leaciE itsiBiiL'

^ Auiiio"

PlaySioilan

A Real Grim Fandango

Such a Long, Long Time to Be Gone, and a Short Time to Be There

I t takes a lot to shut up a
smart-alecky loudmouth
like myself, but this month
I finally met my match.
Yep, life's all fun and
games here at Computer
Gaming World (except for
those annoying couple of
days each month when we have
to make this magazine), but this
month reality gave me a Tyson-
sized upper-cut, cold and hard,
right in the kisser. And boy, I'd
give anything to be able to write
about anything else right now.

One minute I'm at the Game
Developer's Conference in San
Jose, attending sessions like "Are
Adventure Games Dead?" (short
answer: yes), and the next
minute I find myself driving
home at midnight in the rain,
furiously hoping to beat the
clock so I could say goodbye to
my cousin Suzy~36 years oid
and dying of ovarian cancer —
one last time.

I didn't make it.

In the face of such inexplica-
ble, horrifying, incomprehensible
news, how does one write a
dumb column about computer
games? Good question. 1 can't

do it. For a while, I tried focusing
and writing about my hopeless
addiction to Heroes of Might
AND Magic ill. it was kind of
funny, until I wrote something
about needing an IV line and a
bucket under my chair to take
care of my bodily functions while
I played. Then I thought about
Suzy, and that line Install its
humor. Death — that heartless

stubbornly optimistic hippie
Deadhead of a cousin — would
have hated that idea. In her 36
brief years, Suzy never had the
time to get maudlin like that.
There was too much fun to be
had. Not that she didn't work
hard too; this is someone who
actually chose, without someone
holding a gun to her head, to
teach social studies to the evil
alien beings known as ''7th
graders." But she never lost sight
of her main goal: Have as much
fun as possible, all the time.

It's a good thing to remember.
Actually, it's just good to remem-
ber that it's okay to want to
have fun. Playing computer
games, for example. This is a fun
thing to do. We don't have to
pretend that it's anything else,
right? I hear people trying to jus-

Just yesterday, for example, I
learned that it's way easier to
beat someone over the head
with a crowbar in Half-Life than
it is to keep reloading and firing
the pistol. So 1 take it back.
Games are very educational.

■ ■ ■

My point is this: Don't let
anyone shame you into thinking
that playing computer games is
a waste of time. Because what-
ever they're doing to pass the
time is no better— and it cer-
tainly isn't going to make them
any less dead in the end. By all
means, turn your computer off
at least part of the day. Do your
best to be a useful and respon-
sible member of society, too.
Plant a tree. Volunteer at a
shelter. Help Ion Storm finish
Daikatana. Just don't forget

/I |iear people trying to justify their gaming habit all the
time, but I'm here to tell you— don't even bother,

son of a bitch — just sucks all the
humor out of everything.

Or maybe not.

Suzy — my irrepressibly.

With Fans Like These...

I've been reading your magazine for about seven years and it seems to
tell the truth about a game. But the back page with Jeff Green seems to
talk about nothing. I would, and perhaps a lot of other people would as
well, like to read about the business and stock of some of the gaming
companies out there. Who's getting rich and who's going out of business
with perhaps some following about the companies — their stock prices
and some news on software companies' IPOs, etc. Surely it would give
some insight on why games sell and why games are shipped early. It can't
be any more boring than Jeff. (Sorry Jeff.) It would be nice to read about
who owns what in the business world. Surely one page is not too much.

— Ron Pierce via the Internet

Jeff Responds:

If you think I'm boring, you should read Denny Atkin's coiumn.

tify their gaming habit all the
time, but I'm here to tell you —
don't even bother. You don't
need to say, "It's better than TV."
That's only partially true, anyway,
but, more to the point, why
should anything /rave to be bet-
ter than TV? Life is hard enough.
We're allowed to rest, we're
allowed to goof off.

Yeah, yeah, some games can
manage to be educational, too,
but save that for your parents or
spouse. That's not why I play
them, and I bet that's not why
you play them either. Well, let me
qualify that. Some gaming edu-
cation is very important to me.

don't even bother.!

that when old Manny Calavera
comes knocking at your door
holding the big, black "Game
Over" sign, you're not going to
find a Restart button anywhere
in your inventory.

So long, Suzy. Say hi to Jerry
for me. Me, I've got some
Heroes of might and Magic hi
to play. j33U

What Jeff doesn 't realize
is that Jerry Garcia currently
holds the high score on the
Ms. Pac Man machine in
Heaven. Send your favorite
magic brownie recipes to Jeff at
jeff__green@zd.com.

Computer Gaming World (ISSN 0744-6667) is published monhly by ZO Inc. One Pack Avenue. New York, NY 10016. Subscription rale is $27.97 for a one-year subscription (12 issues). Canada and all other
countries add S16.00 lor surface mail. Postmaster; Send address changes to Computer Gaming World, P.O. Box 57167, Boulder, CO 80328-7167, Canadian GST regisiration number is 89371 0442 (T. Canada
. Post International Pub's Mail Produa (Canada Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 1058649, Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY 10016 and additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A,

COMPUTER GAMING WORLD»JUNE 1999

v.computcifcaming.c

Packed with the just-released
Pentium II processor at 366MHz,
8MB of VRAM and a 1 5'inch
display, the Del!' Inspiron'" 7000
A366LT notebook lets you put the
pedal to the metal. After all, you
won’t find these kinds of numbers
on just any notebook. Because this
isn’t just any notebt>ok. Just ask
the folks at PC Maga^me^^ who
designated this Inspiron 7000
A366LT their Editors’ Choice.
Call us or visit www.dell.com to
build yours today.

DELL^ INSPIRON"^ 7000 A366LT
PENTIUM* II PROCESSOR AT 366MHz

All-in-One Multimedia Performance

• 1 5’ XGA Active Matrix Display

• B'lMB SDRAM (384MB Max'll

• 1 0GB- Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• Removable Combo 2X DVD-ROM and
Floppy Drive

• 2X AGP SMB ATI RAGE LT Pro 3D Video

• 3D Surround Sound with Wavctable

• Lithium Ion Battery

• Internal 56K Capable” V.90 Fax Modem with
Trial Offer ConnectDirect " Internet Access'^

• MS' Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic

• MS Windows' 98/Touchpad

• 3-Year Limited Warranty'

• Upgrade to 128MB SDRAM, add SW9.

$3499

Personal Lease'®: Sl30/Mo., 36 Mos. ’

^ E'VALUE CODE: 88796-800434a

USE THE POWER OF
THEE*VALUE'''CODE.

MMCH OUB UTESr TECHNQLOGy WITH
DUmATESTPfllUS ENnRTHEEWAlUE
CODE DMINE OR OWE IT TO VOUH SAi.ES
REPOVERIHEPHOHE

WWW.DELL.COM/EVALUE

TO ORDER TOLL-FREE

800 - 284-1160

BUILD YOUR OWN AND ORDER ONLINE

BE DIRECT"

D^L

www.dell.com

Are you Y2K OK? www.dell.com/y2k

Phone Hours: M-P 7a-11p *Sat-Sun 8a-8p CT • In Canada,' call 800-839-0148 * In Mexico,’ call 001-800-210-7607

’^Personal leasing arranged by Dell Financial Services L.P., an independent entity, to qualified customers. Amount of monthly lease
payments above based on 36-month lease. All above monthly lease payments exclude taxes which may vary (for example, Hartford
H City, IN sales tax ''S6.52/month). Shipping cost due with first payment. No security deposit required: subject to credit approval and
P^.nv.LlTlu availability. Lease terms subject to change without notice.

clell.com

WHERE

LIKE YOU

COMPUTERS
LIKE THESE.

You don’t always have time
during your busy day to call and talk
to someone about a computer. Now
you don’t have to. Because Dell’s
website means you never have to
pick up the phone. You can custom
configure and buy or lease your own
system online, exactly the way you
want. You can check on your order
status at anytime. And receive technical
support 24 hours a day. We believe it
is the easiest, smartest way to buy a
system. So stop in for a visit today at
www.dell.com.

• 32MB SDRAM

• 4.3GB^ Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• 15" (13.8” viewable) 800F Monitor

• ATI 8MB 3D AGP Graphics

• 32X Max' Variable CD-ROM Drive

• Yamaha XG 64V Wavetable Sound

• harman/kardonHK-195 Speakers

• MS Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic

• Dell QuietKey' Keyboard/Logitech

First Mouse +

$999

Personal Lease'®; $39/Mo., 3B Mos!'

S E'VALUECODE: 88797-500409

' 128MB lOOMHz SDRAM '

■ /VfWg.lGB^ Ultra ATA Hard Drive
' 17" (16.0" viewable, .26dp) M78D Monitor;
' 8MB ATI XPERT 98D 3D AGP
Graphics Card

’ 40X Max' Variable CD-ROM Drive
' Turtle Beach Montego A3D 64V
Sound Card

' harman/kardon HK-195 Speakers
' MS Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic
' Dell QuietKey Keyboard
' Logitech MouseMan Wheel (PS/2vl

' fl/flV Power Game Pack--

f Iomega WOMB Zip BUILT-IN Drive with
Two Disks, add $99.

DELL-RECOMMENDED UPGRADE

B.4GB Hard Drive, 64MB SDRAM,
Premier 3-Year On-site^ Service

ADD $169

US E'VALUECODE: 88797-500410

$1799

Personal Lease'®: S68/M0., 36 Mos.

iS E'VALUE CODE: 88797-500417

DELL INSPIRON" NOTEBOOKS

I Common features: 3D Surround Sound with Wavetable ♦ Lithium Ion Battery ♦ MS ^
Warranty^ ♦ Setup Video Upgrades: Canon BJC-50 Portable Printer, add S349 ♦ Targi

DELL INSPIRON 3500 C3Q0XT DELL INSPIRON 7000 A300LT

INTEL CELERON PROCESSOR AT 300MHz PENTIUM II PROCESSOR AT 300PE MHz

Light Weight, Light Price

• 13.3" XGA Active Matrix Display

• 32MB SDRAM (256MB Max)

• 4.3GB'' Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• Modular 24X Max' Variable CD-ROM

• Modular Floppy Drive

• NeoMagic' MediaMagic 256AV
AGP Video

$1799

Personal Lease'®: $68/Mo., 36 Mos.

S! E-VALUE CODE: 33797-800417

All-in-One Multimedia Performance

• 1 5" XGA Active Matrix Display

• 32MB SDRAM 1384MB Max’®)

• 4GB' Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• Removable Combo 24X Max' Variable
CD-ROM and Floppy Drive

• 2X AGP 4MB ATI RAGE'“ LT Pro 3D Video

• Internal 56K Capable" V.90 Fax Modem
with Trial Offer ConnectDirect
Internet Access"

• Upgrade to a 6.46B Ultra ATA Hard
Drive, add $99.

• Upgrade to 64MB SDRAM, add $99.

DELL-RECOMMENDED UPGRADE

64MBSDRAM. 56KCapable'' Fax
Modem with Trial Offer ConnectDirect
Internet Access'^, Deluxe Nylon Case

ADD ®199

112 E'VALUECODE: 88797-800419;

$2399

Personal Lease'®; S90/Mo-, 36 Mos.

E'VALUECODE:88797-800423L

Pentium®///

Phone Hours: M-F 7a-11p'Sat-Sun 8a-8p CT

In Canada,' call 800-839-0148 * In Mexico,' call 001-800-210-7607

Pricing not discountable. 'Prices and specifications valid in U.S. only and subject to change without notice Tot a complete copy of
Guarantees or Limiled Warranties, write Dell USA I P , Aiiir Warranties, One Dell Way, Round flock, TX 78682. "AMiomB or on-site
service provided via service contract between customer and Ihird-patty provider, and is not available in certain remote areas
Technician dispatched if necessary pursuant to phone-based troubleshooting with technical support personnel ‘For hard drives. GB
means 1 billion Wes, tolal accessible capacily varies depending on operating enviionment h7X Min. M4X Min '10X Min '^X
Mm "Dtrwnload speeds limited to 53Kbps. Upload speeds are less (in the 30Kbps range) and vary try modern manufacturer Speeds
also vary depending on line conditions. Analog phone line and compatible server oquipmont required ''Maiimum RAM
configurations requite a factory installed 120MB SoOIMM, which must be installed al lime of initial puicliaso. '‘Offers differ lor
ATSTWerldNet and GTE Interactive Some charges may apply, '-for Inspiron 3500 only. ^"Limit StOO pur household. Not valid with
other Hewlett Packard (HP) offers unless otherwise specified by that offer. Customer inusi mail in completed rebate couponls) and
original or copy of receiptls) dated from 1/31/89 to 5/1/99 for all products. Submissions must be postmarked no later than 5/1/99
and received no later than 6/15/99. Customer will receive rebate check, apptoximnioly 8-10 weeks afier receipl of tebaie materials
^'Requites Windows 98. ‘'Limited time offer. 'Mami/yPC9/28/98. Intel, Ihe Intel Inside logo and Pentium ate registered trademarks
and Celeron is a trademark of Intel Corporation MS, Microsoft, InielliMouse and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. 3Com is a registered tradematk of 3Com Cotporaiion. HP and OeskJel ate registered itademarks ol Hewlett Packard
Corporation. Trinitron is a legistered trademark of Sony Corporation. ©1999 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights tesoAied.

Are you Y2K OK? www.dell.com/y2k

’'Personal leasing arranged by Dell Fir
Services LP., an independent entity, to qi
customers. Amount of monthly lease pa
above based on 36-month lease. All
monthly lease payments exclude taxes
may vary (for example, Hartford City, If
tax '’Sl.94/month). Shipping cost due w
payment. No security deposit required;
to credit approval and availahility. Leasi
subject to change without notice.

PRE-LOADED SOFTWARE OPTIONS

eleron"' Processor-based Systems) ♦ 3Com' USR V.90'’ PCI Telephony WinModem with Trial Offer ConnectDirect ” Internet
an ♦ MS' Windows- 98 ♦ 3-Year Limited Warranty"* 1 -Year At-home^ Service Upgrades: HP' OfficeJet 710, add $<199
:e2° Available) ♦ HP ScanJet 6200, add S399 ♦ HP ScanJet 5200 Cse, add S299 1$50 HP Mail-in Rebate-^ Available)

NEW DELL DIMENSION XPS T500 NEW DELL DIMENSION XPS T500 NEW DELL DIMENSION XPS T500
PENTIUM III PROCESSOR AT SDOMHz PENTIUM III PROCESSOR AT 500MHz PENTIUM 111 PROCESSOR AT 500MHz

• 128MB 100MHz SDRAM

• NEW9.]GB' Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• 17" (16.0" viewable, .26dp) M780 Monitor

• 8MB ATI XPERT 98D 3D AGP
Graphics Card

• <1,8X Max'Wariable DVD-ROM Drive

• Yamaha XG 64V Wavetable Sound

• harman/kardon HK-195 Speakers

• 100MB lomegaZip BUILT-IN Drive

• MS Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic

• Dell QuietKey Keyboard

• MS IntelliMouse'

• /VfW Power Game Pack-

•r Upgrade to ACS-295 Speakers with
Subwoofer. addSSO.

$1999

’ersonal Lease'®: $75/Mo., 36 Mos.

^ EWALUE CODE: 88797-500419

• 128MB 100MHz SDRAM

• /VfW13.6GB^ Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• 17" (16.0" viewable, .26dp) 1000HS
Trinitron' Monitor

• 16MB Diamond Viper TNT 3D AGP
Graphics Card

• 4.8X Max'® Variable DVD-ROM Drive

• Turtle Beach Montego A3D 64V
Sound Card

• ACS-295 Speakers with Subwoofer

• MS Works Suite 99 with
Money 99 Basic

• MS Natural Keyboard Elite

• Logitech MouseMan Wheel (PS/2v)

• /VflV Power Game Pack’

$2299

Personal Lease'®: $86/Mo., 36 Mos.

EWALUE CODE: 88797-500422

• 128MB 100MHz SDRAM

• N£W2QAGB^ Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• 19" 118.0" viewable, .26dp)P990
Trinitron Monitor

• 16MB Diamond Viper TNT 3D AGP
Graphics Card with STB PCI TV/EM Tuner

• 4.8X Max'® Variable DVD-ROM Drive

• /V£W Sony CD-RW Drive

• Turtle Beach Montego II A30 320V
Sound Card

• ACS-295 Speakers witli Subwoofer

• 100MB Iomega Zip BUILT-IN Drive

• MS Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic

• Dell QuietKey Keyboard

• MS IntelliMouse

• /VfkV Power Game Pack

$2899

Personal Lease'®: $108/Mo„ 36 Mos,

E-VALUE CODE: 83737-500428

Microsoft’ Office 97 Small
Business Edition v2.0:

(Ask about Our FREE MS Office 2000
Upgrade Offer)

Word 97, Excel 97, Publisher 98, Outlook 98,
Small Business Financial Mgr. 98
and Expcclia Skgbis 98.

Microsoft Works Suite 99:

Word 97, Encana Encyclopedia 99,

Money 99 Basic, Works 4.5a,

Works Calendar, Graphic Studio Greetings
and Expedia Streets 98.

SOFTWARE BUNDLES

Fast Track Game Pack S79;

Tomb Raider 2, Jack Nicklaus GoU 5.0,
Titanic: Adventure Out of Time,
Hardball 6.0 and Total Annihilation.

Quicken 99 Power Bundle S79:

Quicken Deluxe 99, Quicken Financial
Planner, Quicken Family Lawyer
and a Coupon for Quicken Turbo Tax 99
(Available through April 30, 1999).

indows 98 ♦ Touchpad ♦ MS Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic * 3-Year Limited
Defcon Notebook Alarm, add S49 ♦ APC Notebook Surge Protector, add S29

DELL1NSPIRON 7000 A366LT
PENTIUM II PROCESSOR AT 366MHz

All-in-One Multimedia Performance

• 1 5" XGA Active Matrix Display

• 64MB SDRAM (384MB Max")

• 4GB' Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• Removable Combo 24X Max’ Variable
CD-ROM and Floppy Drive

• 2X AGP 4M8 ATI RAGE LT Pro 3D Video

• Internal 56K Capable" V.90 Fax Modem
with Trial Offer ConnectOirect
Internet Access’^

• Upgrade to a 6.4GB Ultra ATA Hard
Drive, add S99.

• Upgrade to 128MB SDRAM, add $199.

$2999

Personal Lease'®; Sl12/Mo., 36 Mos.

y E*VALUECQDE:88797-800429p

DELL INSPIRON 7000 A366LT
PENTIUM II PROCESSOR AT 366MHz

All-iii-One Multimedia Performance

• 1 5" XGA Active Matrix Display

• 64MB SDRAM (384MB Max'®)

• lOGB^ Ultra ATA Hard Drive

• Removable Combo 2X DVD-ROM and
Floppy Drive

• 2X AGP 8MB ATI RAGE LT Pro 3D Video

• Internal 56K Capable" V.90 Fax Modem
with Trial Offer ConnectDirect Internet
Access"

• Inspiron 7000 Port Replicator, add $149.

• Removable WOMB Iomega Zip Drive,
add $139.

• Custom Leather Case, add $99.

$3499

Personal Lease'®; SI 30/Mo., 36 Mos.

E-VALUE CODE: 88797-800434n

POWER UPGRADES

RECEIVE UP TO $100 OFF WITH MAIL-IN REBATES ON THESE HP PRODUCTS I
WHEN PURCHASED WITH A DELL DIMENSION DESKTOP AND MONITOR. \
OFFER EXPIRES 5/1/99P |

iV£W HP DESKJET 882C

COLOR PRINTER

• Brilliant photo-quality printing ^

on any paper

• Up to 8 ppm black, 5 ppm color

• Parallel or USB®' connectivity

$299

$50 HP MAIL-IN REBATE®® Available

NEW HP SCANJET 4100Cse SCANNER

• fsm/'/yPC's®® "Top-rated" award

• Push-button scanning and copying

■ USB" connectivity for easy installation

• 600 dpi, 1200 dpi enhanced, 36-bit color

$199

$50 HP MAIL-IN REBATE’" Available

APC SURGESTATION PR08T2

• Helps protect your system against
electrical surges

• 8 outlets will) block spacing for 3 outlets

• Provides $10K equipmenl proleclion warranty

$39

PREMIER 3-YEAR ON-SITE® SERVICE

• Sends a technician to your door tho
next business day if necessary after
plione-based troubleshooting

• Protects your PC from expensive technical
support costs down the toad

^99

Desktop Service

W $149

Notebook Service'®

iiciai
lified
lents
bove
/hich
sales
I first
bject
erms

BE DIRECT™

D^Li;

www.dell.com

INTRODUCING DELL'S NEV/ DESKTOP FEATURING THE PENTIUM III PROCESSOR.

NEW DELL* DIMENSION* XPS TSOO
PENTIUM^ III PROCESSOR AT 500MHz
With Power Game Pack”

processor at 500MHz, our new Dell'
Dimension" XPS T500 represents a new
f’eneration of 3D technology. This system
is designed to optimize a new wave of
power-hungry apps and peripherals, like
hyper-realistic gaming and digital cameras.
Give us a call or visit our website. And
we’ll build you a piece of tomorrow, today.

• 128MB 100MHz SDRAM

• /Vavg.lGB’ Ultra ATA Hard Drive (7200 RPM]

• 17" (16.0" viewable, .26dp) M780 Monitor

• 16MB Diamond Viper TNT 30 AGP Graphics Card

• 4.8X Max'” Variable DVD-ROM Drive

• Turtle Beach Montego A3D 64V Sound Card

• harman/kardon HK-195 Speakers

• 3Com* USRobotics V.90" PCI Telephony
WinModem with Trial Offer ConnectDirecf"
Internet Access'*

• MS' Works Suite 99 with Money 99 Basic;
McAfee VirusScan

• MS Windows"' 98/MS InteiliMouse*

• Dell QuietKey'' Keyboard

• 3-Year Limited Warranty^

• 1-Year Next-Business-Day At-home'' Service

• Upgrade to ACS-295 Speakers with
Subwoofer, add $50.

$1999

Personal Lease'®: $75/Mo., 36 Mos.”

m EWALUECODE;88735-500419g

With the new Intel' Pentium 111

USE THE POWER OF
THEE'VALUE'^'CODE.

MATCH OUR LATEST TECHNDlDGy WITH
OUR LATEST PRICES ENTER THEEWALUE
CODE ONLINE OR GIVE IT TO YOUR SALES
REP OVER THE PHONE

WWW.DELL.COM/EVALUE

284- 1160

: BUILD YOUR OWN AND ORDER ONLINE

BE DIRECT”

D0Li:

www.dell.com

Pentium®///

Are you Y2K OK? www.dell.com/y2k

Phone Hours: M-F 7a-11p • Sat-Sun 8a-8p CT • In Canada,' call 800-839-0148 • In Mexico,' call 001-800-210-7607

'^Personal leasing arranged by Dell Financial Services L.P., an independent entity, to qualified customers. Amount of monthly lease
payments above based on 36-month lease. All above monthly lease payments exclude taxes which may vary (for example, Hartford City,
IN sales tax '’S3.77/morTth|. Shipping cost due with first payment. No security deposit required; subject to credit approval and availability.
Lease terms subject to change without notice.

Internet Archive Audio

Featured

Top

Images

Featured

Top

Software

Featured

Top

Texts

Featured

Top

Video

Featured

Top

Mobile Apps

Browser Extensions

Archive-It Subscription

Save Page Now

Full text of "Computer Gaming World Issue 179"

See other formats